Mass Effect:Agent of the Shadow Broker
by chevy99
Summary: 18 months after Bloodlines. Octavious arrives on Illium while Ashley makes her way to Tuchanka. Liara and Shepard get a call from Garrus and it looks like the old crew may be heading to Omega.
1. Chapter 1

_The Shepard family's story continues with the sequel to Mass Effect:Bloodlines. I will try to cover all back story so you don't have to read Bloodlines but some major things happened and you might kinda be lost if you don't. This is really just a reintroduction to the characters and where they are 18 months after Bloodlines. Hope you all enjoy._

* * *

"So have you thought of a stage name yet?" The question brings her out of her thoughts. She looks down at the Salarian who has been giving her the tour around the nightclub Afterlife. The loud dance music makes it hard to have a conversation, and she finds herself trying to yell over the sound.

"Siren." She tells him.

She watches him frown as they continue to weave their way through the crowded bar area. He has already shown her the different lounge areas and the lower deck bar.

"I'm not familiar with that word. What does it mean?" He asks her.

"In human mythology it's a creature who is said to have used her voice and body as a way to seduce unsuspecting sailors to their deaths." She smiles down at her host. Siren will be an extremely fitting name for her by the end of the night.

"Oh, I didn't know Asari were so familiar with ancient human mythology." She hears him mutter under his breath as they finally make their way into the employee only section at the club. He probably didn't expect her to hear the comment, but the drop in the noise level allows her to hear him clearly.

"Most probably aren't, but my father is a human and since my mother finally decided to tell me that, I have been trying to learn all I can about them." Of course he would have no idea just who her father was, and it's not like she was going to tell him.

He continued to ask pointless questions as they finished the last leg of the tour. The one thing she liked about salarians is that they are happy to talk your ear off and don't expect you to offer any form of reply most of the time. While he prattled on about rules and regulations, she was making sure she remembered escape routes and bouncer locations.

The last leg of the tour ended up being the dancer dressing room just as she figured. He showed her to her dressing area and introduced her to the dancer sitting in the next cubicle.

"Sapphire, this is Siren. It's her first day. Will you make sure she knows all the rules that you dancers need to know for me?" He asks the human dancer.

"Of course, sweetie." Sapphire smiles up at him from her seat.

"Uh thanks," He stutters taking his eyes off the cleavage she's showing in her outfit. Siren smirks at his discomfort around female flesh. Salarians are probably the only race that lacks a true sex drive that would make this type of job completely pointless in a Salarian society.

Siren watches as he opens up his omni-tool and scans through something.

"Says here that your first dance on the main stage is at 2100 hours tonight. Since it's your introduction dance, you're not required to dance on any of the smaller stages before that. In fact, it's probably best if you stay back here and watch until its your time to take the stage. Aria is in her office tonight so you will want to impress her. So if you don't have any questions I will leave you two to it."

Both dancers just look up at him and smile until he takes the hint and leaves them to it. They watch him walk back the way they came in, and then turn their attentions toward each other.

"OK here's what you need to know. Panties stay on at all times in the general areas. Also, Aria has a strict no touching rule that she enforces. The bouncers are very good at their jobs, but it never hurts to befriend them since obviously the people who come to Omega aren't the most… well lets just call them what they are: assholes.

Private rooms are available for a price and while there is video surveillance you can do anything you want in them as long as you're OK with having an audience. Obviously that's the only way you're going to ever make any real money here. You can demand to have a bouncer in the room as well, and it's completely your decision. If you do decide to use a private room, Aria expects 10%, and I wouldn't try to screw her out of it since she knows everything that happens here. Any questions?" Sapphire tells her.

Siren thinks for a bit before responding. She looks up at the clock and realizes she has several hours before its show time. "Who has the money here?" She asks her fellow dancer.

Sapphire smiles at her as she responds. "Well most of my best customers are Asari. Although, I don't know if you will have the same luck. If I were you, I would look for Human and Turian mercs especially the ones who are the leaders since they are usually the ones with the money to burn. Besides them, we do get lots of Alliance soldiers and they are always looking for a good time on shore leave if you don't mind humans anyway."

Siren thinks about that while she unpacks the dancing outfit she bought for her opening night. She can see why other Asari would find the human attractive. Her long jet black hair goes half way down her back. She has a longer, lithe body than most human girls do as she must be approaching 6ft in length. Her legs are stunning, and they don't seem to ever end. A small waist leads up to smallish breasts, but her tight low cut top makes the most of them. Siren can see her nipples through her top like it's not there at all. Her mocha skin is smooth and flawless, and she finds herself wanting to slide her blue hands over the humans body herself. Siren has a hard time judging human ages, but she would be surprised if Sapphire was over 25. No, Siren doesn't have any problems with humans at all.

"How do you go about getting someone to get a private room for you?" She asks figuring it would be good to get some advice since she plans on getting a very special person to do just that by the end of the night.

"Well, for me its usually just tempting them to want to touch my hair. I think since Asari don't have hair like we do, that they find it very exotic. I usually tease them with my hair and make sure they notice that there is more than just whats on my head, and that they can touch it all in a private room." Sapphire explains to her.

Siren looks confused at that, and asks the question as soon as it pops in her head. "More than what's on your head?"

Sapphire laughs at her and points down at her crotch. After a minute she finally realizes what the human dancer is talking about. "Ohhhhh." She says simply.

"My turn to ask a question. It's obvious your not some Omega ghetto rat or some colony girl hoping to get off some backwater world. So, what are you doing here?" Sapphire asks her.

"The same thing most Asari maidens are doing here I would figure. Trying to get out away from their mothers." Siren answers easily. A couple years ago it would have been the truth. Now things are so much more complicated.

"Well, I wouldn't worry about things too much. While some of us have very specific qualities that we have to take advantage of, the truth is that most men who come in here can't see past our tits anyway, and if you don't mind me saying, yours are spectacular." Sapphire tells her.

Siren smiles at her fellow dancer as she looks down at her ample chest. "One thing I can think my mother for, for sure. Huge boobs just run in my family."

Sapphire sighs and says, "if only we were all so lucky."

The girls continue to small talk while they get ready for their night. Other dancers come and go, and most don't pay any attention to the new girl at all. The ones that do mostly just stop and scowl at another dancer they have to compete with. Siren doesn't mind since she isn't here to make friends anyway. She notices the pictures of a small boy on Sapphire's mirror and can't help but ask her about it.

"Is that your son?"

She watches as the human reaches over and pulls the picture out of its spot on the outside of her mirror. The boy looks between 4 and 6 years of age with dark hair like his mother.

"Yes he is. He's the reason I put up with this job. Not much else for someone like me to do on Omega. Who knows though, the way things are going I might have saved up enough in another couple years to get us out of here." Sapphire tells her.

"Great! Do you know where you wanna go?" She asks her.

"Just away you know. Someplace I can make a living doing something other than being a stripper. And hopefully before he gets old enough to understand just what his mother does for a living." Sapphire explains to her.

"I understand, but it never made any sense to me how you humans put so much taboo on sex. I've known my share of humans and for as much as you think about it, you would hope eventually you could rid yourselves of the shame that goes along with being sexual. I hope the best for you though." Siren tells her.

Sapphire smiles at her, and they spend the rest of the time getting ready in silence. Siren changes clothes while looking at herself in the mirror. She puts glittery make up on her face and in between her breasts. She adds dark eye shadow to give her eyes a smokey appearance and a blush to deepen her shade of blue. Slipping into her white g-string, she checks her body out to make sure she can make any man in the bar want her. Once she was satisfied with how she would look once her dancing outfit came off she slides into it. The gray and white outfit goes from her neck down to mid thigh. Orange highlights her breasts and around the cut outs exposing her ass cheeks. The heels come next, and once she's completely dressed she steps back to take one more look at this new persona she's adapted.

* * *

Her body fills the outfit nicely, and the heels make her stand so her assets are on full display. Siren frowns at herself in the mirror. Again, two years ago she would have dove into this job with a reckless abandon. Now she's here to do more than give a room full of assholes a show. One very specific asshole is about to understand just what a siren is capable of doing. Taking one last look in the mirror she walks off to watch the other entertainers before its her time to start the real festivities.

Ashley Shepard sends a flurry of strikes into the heavy bag. Her thoughts fueling the rage she unleashes against the helpless bag. It's been eighteen months since she lost her ship. Although she knows the SR-3 is almost done, she can't get off the citadel fast enough. What good is a promotion to captain without a ship? Ashley switches up her attack from her jabs to a set of powerful high kicks. There's always a crowd whenever she comes down here and uses the Alliance gym. She tells herself that it's just so the marines can see the granddaughter of the great Matthew Shepard and Ashley Williams, but deep down she knows they are more interested in the way her body looks in her Lycra under armor and sports bra.

She doesn't spend much time thinking about the people watching her. Her thoughts are mainly on the two people who are really in her life. Lieutenant Diego Martinez is her shuttle pilot and on and off again boyfriend of the last two years. Right now they are mainly off since he actually has stuff he can do while they are grounded, and Ashley realizes that her relationship with the second person also makes him wonder where he stands with her. Shiala is a several hundred year old asari who by all rights wouldn't interest Ashley at all except for the fact that circumstances have put them in a place where they can never get rid of each other.

During her deployments last year dealing with the revival of the Reaper threat she was injured, and when it became obvious that the crew needed her, they did a sort of meld to where Shiala could take some of the pain from her so she could command her crew to safety. While it seemed like a good idea at the time, the side effects have been staggering. She can feel Shiala no matter where the asari is now. She feels her anger and her sadness as well as her more base desires as well. If that's not bad enough, she does more than feels them she shares them. If Shiala is mad chances are so is Ashley and vice versa. That can get really complicated really fast if you're with your boyfriend and your thoughts keep going to the naked green asari pleasuring herself while you're busy having sex.

So for the last year she's been fighting a battle with herself and no matter what she does she doesn't think she can win it. Her frustration with the situation refuels her anger, and she recommits to pounding the bag into submission. After another half hour of that she decides its time to shower and call it a day.

Walking over to her stuff she grabs a towel and wipes the sweat out of her face and her medium length brown hair. After doing that she pats down the rest of her body and gets ready to leave when a message pops up on her omni-tool. Bringing it up she can't help but smile at the message. It's from Diego, and it's good news for a change.

"Hey, we're almost back and we got to check out how the construction was going. They are done with it! Now all that's left is running tests, and the engineers tell me that we should be ready for her shakedown run within a week. I figured you could use some good news so I thought I would send you some. See you soon, Diego."

Finally she will get her ship. She realizes she needs to get her things together before she meets the rest of her new crew. Her good mood is instantly ruined by an overly loud major who never seems to have anything better to do that harass her.

"Did you get good news from your Asari girlfriend?" He asks her while he walks with some of his squad past her toward the boxing ring. She just flicks him off and continues to walk toward the exit.

"See what happens when your family is famous marines? No matter how incompetent you are they will just build you another ship and give you more marines to kill. How long do you think this ship will last huh, Captain? A year maybe? Do you think you can actually make it that long?"

That stops Ashley in her tracks, and she turns around to face her fellow marine commander. He towers over her at 6 and a half feet at least. On top of that, he is a hulk of a man and has at least 100 pounds on her, probably more. His bald head is typical of his type, and Ashley finds herself wanting to use it as a punching bag.

"That's funny cuz if I'm not mistaken while I was out saving the galaxy you were stuck here getting your ass handed to you by the relic of the geth fleet. Who won that battle for you again? Oh right, a Shepard did. It's OK though. I understand. Maybe when you add another 100 pounds of muscle you will stop feeling inferior because of your three inch cock." Ashley tells him smirking before turning back to leave.

"If you're so interested in the size of my cock why don't you come by my room tonight, and I will show you first hand how big it is." The major tells her.

Turning back to him she responds, "Now Major Rowe, is that anyway to act in front of your squad. If you've got something to say to me why don't you just come out and say it. It's obvious you somehow blame me for something not happening in your life. So why don't you just cut the shit and tell me how I've somehow wronged you?"

"You're a joke. Your whole career is a joke. You were given your own command before you even saw war, making Spectre within a few months of receiving your own command. Either you're really good at sucking dick or something doesn't add up." He accuses her.

Now Ashley is pissed. Will she ever be able to stand on her own merits, or will the fact that her last name is Shepard always appear to give her an advantage.

"I should just have you brought up on sexual harassment charges, but that would just give your little followers the idea that you're right. So instead I will tell you this. Last time I checked only one of us passed N7 training, not to mention I did it at the top of my class. I would be glad to tell you how I earned my SPECTRE status, but as you know, it's classified. Since you can't hold two thoughts together, there's no way you're ever going to get to see those files. Now, if you really want a first hand experience at why I'm a Spectre than step in that ring motherfucker, and I will give it to you."

"Let's do it, bitch." He sneers at her before turning around and just about jumping into the ring.

Inwardly she sighs at how her anger got her in trouble again, but she's not going to worry about that now. Throwing her towel and bag back on the ground she makes her way back to the ring.

"You sure you wanna do this? I won't hold back." He tells her. Ashley can tell by his expression he means it, and he actually thinks he's going to hurt her. She almost feels bad for the ass kicking she's about to give him.

"Don't back down now big boy. Let's see just what Marine Force is all about. Surely you can beat one girl less than half your size." Ashley allows the blue glow of her biotics to show making sure he understands that she will use every advantage she has over him. Looking at her glowing blue hand she tells him, "Of course, I'm not exactly your typical girl."

She gives him no more warning, just a simple smirk at him across the ring they both occupy. Wanting to catch the bigger man off guard before she sets back into her defensive shell she launches at him. Wrapping herself in a biotic cocoon, she moves much faster than he was ready for. She moves around him sending three hard fast strikes into his body. The first a low kick right above the knee buckling him. Her next attack is an elbow right into his kidney. He cries out in pain and frustration, and turns to counterattack her. Stepping right into a biotically charged knee left as she jumps up and grabs his head to pull him down into it. Holding back at the last minute so she doesn't end his lesson before it's even begun she breaks his nose, but makes sure she doesn't knock him out.

She watches as he lays sprawled out on the canvas. Keeping an eye on him, she sets her feet and readies herself for whatever attack he can come up with. He slowly regains his feet. Wiping the blood from his broken nose with his forearm, Ashley sees him smile at her. She bows to him lifting her knee and showing him his blood there.

"Please refrain from bleeding on me. It's gross."

Taking her bait, he charges at her. No form or style, he still thinks his greater size will ensure his victory. Ashley watches him close in, waiting until the absolute last second before she slips out of his grabbing attempt. Using his own momentum against him, she grabs his arm at his wrist and shoulder. Applying pressure at those points to force him to twirl around her, and she activates her biotics one more time. This allows her to flip him over her body and send him flying across the ring. Bored of the lesson already she figures it's time to put him out of his misery.

Keeping eye contact with him as he struggles back to his feet. His eyes scream murder at her, but he finds nothing but boredom in hers.

"Fine. If this isn't exciting enough for you, maybe we can make it more exciting."

Ashley watches as he signals to his squad mates, and they climb into the ring with them.

"It's too bad you killed most of your crew or maybe someone would be here to back you up." He sneers at her as they close a half circle around her.

Having no intention to fight six marines in an enclosed area Ashley slips back out of the ring.

Even knowing she couldn't handle the odds without killing one of them, she can't stop her mouth from taunting the stupidity they so clearly show.

"How exciting for the Alliance to know it takes six marines to equal one Spectre. Your commanders must be so proud."

They follow her back out of the ring and Major short dick takes the lead followed by all his lackeys.

"You're not afraid are you. A big bad Spectre would never be afraid of a good fight."

"SHEPARD!" The deep growl of a voice brings her smirk back to her face. She doesn't have to turn around to know the big Krogan that is working his way toward them through the gym.

"Nice timing, Grunt. It seems these fine marines would like to see how they fair against the crew of a Spectre." Ashley tells him as he walks up and sets himself at her side.

"Sweet. I've been looking for some obnoxious fuckheads to fuck up today." Ashley turns around to see her executive officer walk up to her other side.

"I wouldn't want to disappoint you, Jack." Ashley smirks back at the marines, knowing the three of them could handle a whole platoon if they needed too.

"If we do this, we do it like Krogan. No pissing contests like you humans like to waste your time with. We fight to the death, and when I'm standing over your broken bodies taking your ears as a souvenir, then and only then we will know just who is the strongest." Grunt explains the new rules.

"Sounds exciting. What do you think Major?" Ashley asks him in mock seriousness.

"I'm not about to risk my marines in some stupid display with you. Let's go men." He answers her.

The three of them step aside so the marines could retreat out of the gym. Once they were gone, Ashley laughs and smacks Grunt on his back.

"Take their ears. Really, that was brilliant."

"Heh, heh, I didn't really wanna hurt the whelps. It was obvious you already defeated the one who needed it." Grunt explains to her.

"We thought we would come down to check on you when Shiala said your anger was going through the roof. Seems like we made it just in time." Jack explains their presence at the opportune time.

"Well, I will have to thank her for sending you. I was afraid I was going to have to really hurt them. No matter though. Let's get out of here. It's too close to deployment time to get in trouble now."

So, Ashley leads them out of the gym to the stares of everyone who was there watching the show. A huge smile on her face, she can't wait to get back out there and raise some more hell with her team.

* * *

Aria T'loak casually sits in her office overlooking the seat of her empire. The club is packed and the music is pounding, just the way she likes it. She's here to watch her new dancer and see just what the shadow broker sent her. The leader of the blue suns has become a little too mouthy and big headed for her lately so she figured it was time she made a change in leadership. Of course she couldn't have her people do it since it would look bad if she decided to move openly against the mercs who were still technically under her power since the Reaper war a hundred years ago.

She has mainly let them go about their business, happy to just take her share of their hauls. That was until Augusto Serpentine decided he wanted to rape and pillage his way across the Terminus systems. Selling the colonists to the batarians if they didn't give him what he wanted. So now she sits sipping her drink and waiting patiently for the show to start. She calls up the head of her security here and asks him if he would have have her second brought up to her office. He acknowledged her request, and Aria waits patiently for her guest to arrive.

A short time later, the Asari climbs the stairs and plops down next to her on her couch. Ordering a drink of her own, the younger asari looks over at her and opens her eyes wide at her. The question obvious on her face. What am I doing here?

"Hello Venecia, nice to see you today." Aria says to her after finishing off her drink. Raising it up to let the bar tender know she wants another.

"You as well, mother. Now would you care to tell me why you took me away from my own responsibilities to be here." Her daughter tells her.

Being close to 1100 hundred years old, Aria knows she won't be around forever. So after the Reaper war was over she decided it was time to call her daughter back to her from her studies and wild maiden years. She was happy to let the younger asari have her fun, but now that she could see the end she wanted to make sure that Venecia has the skills to keep her empire intact. By the time she actually steps completely away, she knows that most of the other races will have all died off so it will be easier for her daughter to seem like the one who has always been in charge of Omega. A strong advantage a thousand year life span, and Aria uses it to its utmost.

"Our little problem should be played out tonight, and I wanted your opinion on the person who carries it out." Aria explains to her.

"Oh and who is handling it?" Venecia asks her.

"She is." Aria tells her nodding toward the young asari making her way toward the main dance stage.

"She's so young." Venecia says in awe. She leans forward to watch the dance.

"Yes she is. What can you tell me about her. It's obvious the broker did their research since Auggie's one weakness is sex." Aria tells her daughter.

They both watch as the music changes in the club and the young asari starts her dance routine. Aria appreciates the curves the maiden has, and she realizes quickly that she knows just how attractive she is.

Her daughter works at her omni tool while watching the dance as much as she can. When the dancer takes her outfit off and strips down to her panties, she can't help but whistle at her.

"Goddess look at those tits. Why couldn't I have tits like that." Venecia asks aloud as she watches the routine with added interest. Aria looks over and knows that the dancer even has her daughter ready to go to bed with her.

"She's good isn't she. Look at the way she's working the whole room while making sure Auggie especially wants her." Aria mentions as the dancer walks over to the blue suns table and kneels down in front of the target. She watches from her perch as the dancer leans back and cups her breasts in Auggie's face before turning around and crawling away from him. Aria smiles to herself knowing just how amazing that view would be for the human male.

"Wait, this doesn't make any sense." Venecia says taking her attention away from the dancer below back to her daughter.

"What doesn't?" Aria asks her.

"There's no record of her at all. I've checked the citadel and Thessia. She doesn't exist. They don't even have DNA scans of her. How is that possible?" She asks her mother.

"Oh it's possible, if you have the money and technology, and the shadow broker has both. You know me though I can't resist a mystery. Run the data to see if you can get a partial match." Aria watches the rest of her dance routine while she waits for her daughter to hack the databases required.

"Holy shit mother you won't believe this. I got a match for her." Venecia tells her while see sends the info to her mother's omni-tool.

Even Aria herself is shocked by what the results show. "Liara T'soni. Oh my you naughty girl you've gotten someone inside the broker's inner circle." Aria's eyes light up realizing just how much money this information would be worth to both Liara and the broker himself. "Oh daughter of mine, we are going to make a killing off this little bit of info."

Both T'loaks smile at each other knowing just what they have stumbled on. Their joy is short lived though when Venecia got a paternal match from a different database.

"You've got to be fucking kidding." Venecia just looks up stunned at her mother.

"What?" The older Asari asks. She watches as Venecia sends the information over to her. When her omni beeps that it received the info Aria rushes to check it.

DNA match to Alliance Admiral Matthew Shepard. Aria read those results a few times before it sinks in. Once it finally did she realizes what a mistake they almost made.

"Delete it all Venecia. Don't even leave a bread crumb for people to follow. Nobody can ever know we know who she is." Aria tells her daughter.

"But why mother? What can Shepard do from the grave?" She asks her elder.

"Don't be stupid girl. You were here that night. You felt his touch on your mind just like everyone else. No being with the power to touch every mind in the galaxy would be so easily killed. No Matthew Shepard is still alive out there somewhere and there's no way on Omega that I am bringing his wrath down on me because I got his daughter caught up in the power struggle between Liara T'Soni and the shadow broker. Do as I say." Aria instructs her.

"Yes, Mother." Venecia answers while putting the commands into her omni tool. She knows to trust her mother's instincts in all things. You don't live 1100 years in this galaxy without being right all the time. When she was done they both looked on with interest as the still naked asari chatted up her target. They watch as he brings up his omni and the asari smiles sweetly at him and takes his hand and leads him toward one of the private rooms. They watch as the human watches her ass swerve with each step she takes all the way to the room.

She clears the transaction with the bouncer at the private rooms and she leads him to his death. She stops after he enters the room and turns around toward his body guards. With a flash of her smile and a press of her chest against them they stop and stand outside of the room while she goes in with their boss, alone.

Aria brings up the surveillance in that room and gets ready to watch the show. They watch as the asari has the human bring up his omni-tool one more time and Aria knows the transaction is complete. Whatever he thinks he's getting, he just paid her to kill him. Aria smiles at the poetic nature of it all. Her good mood takes a hit as the dancer walks over to the camera and swipes it with her omni ending the feed.

"She's sent a shunt into the camera it will take a few minutes for me to work around it. I'm working on it right now mother." Venecia tells her.

"Don't worry about it, V. Some things shouldn't be caught on camera. Whatever she is doing in there is between her, Auggie, and the goddess." Aria tells her daughter. Taking another drink she sits back in her seat. She smiles knowing that Augusto Serpentine will no longer bother her or make her stomach turn. Something's are worth not knowing just to have them done.

* * *

"So what's it going to be sexy. Name your poison and let me make your fantasies come true." Siren tells the human as she runs her hands down over his chest. The very sight of him makes her want to puke, but she simply can't kill him like she wants too.

"Fuck your tits are amazing." Auggie tells her as he grabs them both roughly and squeezes. "What would it cost me to fuck these things?"

"If that's all you want sugar it won't be too expensive at all." Siren tells him leaning up into his ear to tell him the price if only so he stops mauling her breasts.

She watches as he brings up his omni and sends the credit her way. Once she sees that the transaction is finished she smiles sweetly at him. She wants nothing more than just to kill him now, but the shunt will take 5 minutes to clean out the blue suns account, and if she has to let this dickhead touch her then she is going to relieve them of every credit they have. She keeps eye contact with him at all times as she walks over to the camera and disables it. She doesn't want anyone to see what she's about to do in this room.

Once that's done she takes one for the portable chairs from the corner and brings it into the middle of the room. She closes the distance on her mark and starts to help him out of his armor. She looks at him seductively while she does her best to stay just outside of the reach of his groping hands. Once she has him completely out of the only protection he has, she sits him in the chair and uses her omni to start the music in the room.

4 more minutes and this will be all over.

Siren straddles him allowing him access to her ass cheeks, and she feels him paw at them relentlessly. She grinds down on him to the heavy bass of the track playing in the room. When she feels his reaction through his pants she leans forward and presses her breasts against him.

"Mmmmm, you're ready for the main course already?" She asks, taking a light teasing tone to relay her disappointment in him being ready so soon.

"Can't help it" he growls while molesting her butt cheeks. "I want you out of those panties." He tells her commandingly.

3 more minutes Siren thinks to herself.

She separates herself from his rough grasp. Turning around she grinds her butt against his crotch leaning back and looking at him as he takes her hips in his hand.

"Your wish is my command." She tells him as she leans forward giving him a great look between her legs. She looks back at him as she slowly slides her panties down her legs. She's sickened to let him see her like this but the thought that no other woman would have to do this made it tolerable.

"Enjoy the last pussy you will ever see asshole." She thinks to herself.

Pulling her panties all the way off she turns around and dances for him completely naked except for her heels. The clock in her head telling her that she's down to just a minute.

She walks up to him and slips down on her knees. Siren runs her hands up his thighs until they come to rest at his zipper. She looks up at him, making sure to never lose eye contact as she slides his zipper down. He lifts his ass off the chair to help her take his pants down.

Siren tries to ignore the erection pressing against her body as she leans up to get as close to him as she can. She presses against him again leaning into his ear.

"Do you want me?" She asks him.

"Yes." He groans into her ear, grinding up against her.

Siren is relieved to hear the beep on her omni telling her that the shunt was successful. No more games now, she can finally do what she set out to.

"Oh baby, I can't wait to feel you cum all over me." She whispers into his ear. "Just one kiss before I make you explode baby."

"OH YES!" he moans as Siren leans in for his last kiss.

She feels his lips press against hers and she opens her mouth to make sure the poison is successfully administered. After a few seconds she sees the reaction and she smiles.

His hands go to his throat like he's choking, which is understandable because he is. The poison works fast to close the throat and makes it impossible for him to breathe. Siren gets up off of him and slowly walks around to his back. She leans against his back and whispers to him.

"I hope this is as good for you as it will be for me."

She knows he can see her body start to glow blue and she hopes he's scared. She takes her hand and slides it down his body to his ass. Using just a thread of her power she sends a throw right up into his ass. He jerks and his body responds to the pressure on his prostate. One more throw and he shutters and ejaculates all over himself and the floor in front of him.

Siren allows herself to laugh at him as he struggles his last few breaths.

"That was for all the women you've raped the last few years you fucker." She sneers at him as he looks up at her helplessly.

She puts his arms into a slight stasis so it looks like he's just recovering from his orgasm. As she slides her panties back on she walks to the door taking one last look at the dying man.

Stopping with the door slightly open she whispers to his body guards.

"You might wanna give him a minute or two to recover." She moves to the side so they can lean in and see their leader in the state he's in. She smiles at them knowing what looks like a man just recovering from an intense orgasm is actually someone clinging to the last threads of life.

Siren walks toward the locker room knowing that no matter what they can't save him now. She brings up her omni-tool and looks to see the score. She smiles to herself when she sees the total. 12 million credits will go quite far and she can't wait to tell her mother just how successful the mission was completed. Remembering what Sapphire told her she looks back up at Aria and the other asari. Siren pushes some buttons on her omni and sends the 1.2 million to the asari. That should cover the clean up charge at least. When Aria nods at her that she got the transaction, Siren just turns around and heads toward the back.

Once she's threw the door she picks up the pace and rushes to gather her stuff. She changes into her clothes quickly and runs toward the back door to the space port. Seeing Sapphire in her seat she gets a great idea and sends her fellow dancer a quick message.

She looks back for just a second to see the dancer crying at her seat. She hopes she uses the half a million credits wisely. Siren knows that a normal girl can live her life on that much money.

Once she's out of the club, she sees her back up standing idle to the side. She walks up to the Krogan and Asari and smiles at them when they notice her.

"How did you like the dance big guy?" She asks the Krogan.

"Eh, it was OK." He shrugs.

"Ha! Don't listen to him, he was glued to you the whole time. What was it again you said, she looks like you but bigger." The asari teases the krogan.

"So do we have to call you Siren now?" He asks her.

The dancer smiles at them. "Of course not. I may not exist anymore, but I will always be Tessa T'Soni. Just an agent of the shadow broker."


	2. Chapter 2

_Really sorry for the delay people. Real life and shit. We catch up with Shepard and Liara in this chapter and bits of the plot start to come into play. Hope you all like it. Bioware owns all. _

* * *

Located within the asteroid belt of a gas giant, Matt Shepard takes a moment to admire his work. It's been a few weeks since his conflict with the final reaper. Well maybe not the final reaper, since what is he if not one of the beings. He came out here, where no species has set foot in many millennia, to build a home for himself and his family away from the prying eyes of the galaxy.

What started as a simple construction project has grown to be so much more. He had originally planned on just making a simple space station out of one of the gravitationally locked asteroids. As he opened up his potential to do the working, he noticed the universe itself showing him just what was possible.

He had originally planned on hollowing the rock out, but he realized that he could use his biotics to change its very shape around what he wanted. He created kinetic fields to compensate for the change in mass and density. Any power supply he brought to run the station quickly became obsolete as he realized he could power it off the Helium-3 from the gas giant, and the ample energy from the star at the heart of the solar system.

When he was done with the station itself, he turned his attention toward the rocks around it. Subtle changes in mass and trajectory cut off their station from sight outside the belt. To mask the power output he created a massive gravity well on the opposite side of the asteroid belt. Using it to disrupt or outright destroy any sensors that might come within range of his new home.

He runs his hands over the smooth as glass rock that makes up his walls. The reddish-brown color isn't too bad, but he figures he will let someone with a more sensitive color palate make the final choice to what color everything will be. He was mainly concerned with the functionality of it, not the interior design.

There's a large central chamber which he designed around the old shadow broker's ship. A large sub-level which can be used for training or classes or anything. A few living quarters centered around a large kitchen for Liara and her family as well as any servants Liara deems worth bringing. He is especially proud of the wing he made Tessa, and he can't wait to show it to his daughter.

The walk through was his last inspection. Shepard stands in front of the large window overlooking the gas giant below. The blue-red planet occasionally gets blocked from sight by floating rocks that pass the larger station. Centering himself, he reaches out and touches the reactor he built at the top of the station. Using his biotics he switches it on and feels the station start to hum with life. The lights in his room turn on, and the artificial gravity and oxygen systems finally make his new home livable. After a while when he is sure the station was properly pressurized, he removes his suit and takes the first breath. While the suit isn't really required for him anymore, he wears it out of habit and that subtle fear he has of when he was spaced that first time all those years ago. Shepard holds on to that little bit of emotion with all he is. Humans fear, reaper's don't.

He walks through the station one more time to make sure that everything works the way it should. Once he was finally satisfied his creation was complete he starts to think of his next project. A mass relay that will work as the Omega-4 relay. Traveling long distances isn't an issue for him, but he wants a way for Liara and Tessa to be able to travel here on their own. He creates a protocol where if any ship isn't recognized by the relay they will be sent to a completely different system in the opposite direction.

Now that everything is complete, it's time to go collect everyone and see what they think.

* * *

Ashley Shepard sits in Counselor Lawson's office looking over reports and listening to her explain the current situation. Unable to keep her questions back any longer, Ashley asks what's on her mind.

"I just don't understand. The Destiny Ascension is crewed by Asari. Why can't the Normandy be crewed by humans?"

"When the Ascension was built, it's cost was paid by the Asari and Salarian governments, like how the first Normandy was paid for by Humanity. The SR-3 was a joint counsel project, and every race wants to have a representative. The counsel decided that it would be best for every section chief to pick their own crew." Counselor Lawson explains.

Ashley flips through her new crew members files. It seems Joria and Koran had already known about this arrangement since they have already put forward their lists for the Engineering and Security departments.

After looking through all the new crew members files she turns to her new officers. The first is a Volus named Dojin Barlac. The report says he's a high ranking officer in the Vol Protectorate. His file says he's a gifted procurement specialist, and he handled one of the Turian fleets budget finances.

Next on the list is the Salarian Intelligence officer named Dr. Jar dim Barbour. As Ashley flips through his file she comes to a conclusion quickly.

"It doesn't mention it, but I have a strong feeling he was part of STG wasn't he?" She asks Oriana.

"Yes, even more than that he is one of the few Salarians left who can trace their lineage all the way back to the League of One."

Ash isn't surprised at that at all. He has multiple doctorates in most of the sciences. The awards he's received show he's good at what he does, even if nobody will ever know what he has actually done. The little Ashley knows about Salarian's, she knows them well enough to know that's how they work as a species.

The last file she has is of her new Asari pilot. She knew Lieutenant Draper was reassigned so it's not a surprise to her, but seeing an Asari is surprising.

"She's quite the frigate pilot isn't she?" Ashley asks Oriana as she looks over her file.

"Yeah she is, one of the advantages of living a thousand years I guess."

"She actually fought in the Reaper War. Well at least Grunt will have someone to trade stories with." Ashley closes the files and looks up at the counselor.

"Any idea when we can expect to take her on a shakedown run?" Ash asks.

"Actually yes, that's the other reason I asked you to meet me today. Construction is complete, and we expect you to ship out next week. I have already decided on your first mission."

Ashley quirks an eyebrow at that and waits for Counselor Lawson to continue.

"Overlord Wrex has very quietly asked if you could do him a favor. Seems one of his offspring is getting ready to graduate from University on Earth, and he was wondering if you could put him up and get him back to his clan on Tuchanka."

"A krogan went to Uni on Earth?" Ashley asks.

"Yes, the first one ever. Not just any University either, he just got his Doctorate from MIT. I will send you his file on the Normandy, since I am sure you are anxious to get set up on your ship."

"Sounds good Counselor, but I am a bit confused at all the secrecy. Does he need protection or something?" Ashley asks.

"I think you will understand further when you pick him up. He has earned the right to tell his own story." Oriana explains to her.

Oriana nods at her and Ashley knows she's being dismissed. She thanks the counselor one more time before getting up and leaving her office. Taking the files with her she starts thinking about all the last minute details that need to be done before she's ready to deploy.

Looking down at the files in her hand she can't help but frown when she realizes she didn't ask if Dr. Browntree or Diego would be stationed on the Normandy. Turning her thoughts away from that line of thinking, she starts to walk off in the direction of her apartment. She brings up her Omni-tool and starts letting her friends know the news while giving Joria and Koran shit about not telling her.

* * *

"Time to get in your box, Tessa." Bax tells Tessa as he flys co-pilot to Levity. Tessa looks up from her computer terminal to see the Krogan smiling at her.

"Fuck you, Bax." Tessa answers him as she starts to power down her station.

The krogan just laughs at her displeasure. Tessa hates this part. Every time they come back to Thessia she has to hide in a smuggling compartment located right in front of the thrusters. The location of the box combined with the material it's made out of makes it invisible to the scanners that clear every ship who enters Thessia's atmosphere. Tessa has to avoid showing up on any DNA or life sign scan since an Asari who doesn't exist would be quite the mystery for her people. Of course the last thing Tessa needs is to draw any attention to herself. So she resigns herself to her fate and does as the annoying krogan suggests.

Tessa makes the short trip down to the cargo bay and climbs into the small compartment that will be her home for the next few hours. Once inside, she pulls the pillow she left down here the last time she was forced into this out and tries to get a few hours sleep.

Sleep came easily and peacefully until she is awoken suddenly by strong hands gripping her ankles and dragging her out of her hiding place. Tessa immediately goes into fighting mode, and she surrounds herself in her biotics and looks around for just who yanked her out of there so abruptly. Of course the only person there is the krogan who is again laughing at her.

"You're such a dick, Bax." She flicks him off as she gets back to her feet.

"Yeah, yeah I know. Levity told me to get you. Your mother is waiting for you in her office." He tells her before walking away to do his work.

Tessa makes the trip from the shuttle docks to her grandfather's estate that Liara is still calling home at the moment. Tessa knows Liara hates being here. She can't run her organization from this planet, and she curses her father again for making Liara wait so long. Liara told her that he said weeks, but it's been over a year and a half now. Where the fuck was he?

"I'm home, mother." She calls out when entering her mother's office. The monitors all relying information from across the galaxy into this room. Her mother is seated at her desk looking over her data feeds when she notices her eldest daughter.

"Oh thank the Goddess you're OK." Liara proclaims as she jumps up and runs over to hug her.

Tessa sighs as her mother looks over her like the overbearing parent she is.

"I swear mother. You check me out more than the guys I was stripping for." Tessa tells her to get her to stop fussing over her.

Liara frowns at her as she answers, "You didn't have to do that, you know. There were other ways to remove him."

"I know, but it's what I'm best at. Might as well use the skills I have, right? It's not like there's some assassination school you can sign me up for. Not without questions being raised anyway. This is what I can do to help, and I want to. Mother, I hated getting touched by him, but believe me it was worth it when I killed him." Tessa grins at her as she retells the events of Omega. She tells her everything except just how she killed him.

Liara listens to her while she talks, then just nods when she's finished. "Well it seems it went well. Tell me then what did you learn from your side project."

Tessa's smile lights up her face when she thinks about what she did learn.

"I was able to plant the bug into Aria's systems without her knowing. I checked their logs during my dance routine, and they were able to find out who I was by comparing my DNA to yours and Shepard's." Tessa sees her mother frown at that and smiles even bigger. "Then they deleted all proof they had of who I was. My employment app and everything was deleted, even if it was all false anyway. Seems even Aria doesn't want to mess with us."

"I highly doubt it was me she was afraid of. If she found out who your father was though, I can see how Shepard would give her pause. I don't see a reason why we should downplay that connection. Let people think that you have him as your protector." Liara tells her.

"Don't I mother?" Tessa asks her.

"I don't know Tessa. It's been too long. I should have heard from him by now. I'm starting to worry that he has become lost again like the last time." Liara answers her.

"I didn't think that was something we had to worry about while he has his body?" Tessa asks her.

"I didn't think so either, but I don't know what he has been doing all this time."

"Well all I know is I'm going to kick his all powerful ass when he finally does show up. I know guys don't have the greatest sense of time when it comes to things like this, but weeks into a year and a half is extreme by any comparison." Tessa proclaims to her mother.

"Well here's your opportunity." Liara tells her nodding at the space behind where Tessa was standing.

Tessa turns around to see a distortion in space form and a man step through. Only one being in the universe was powerful enough to do that, and he is just who Tessa wants to see.

He looks over at the two Asari looking at him and smiles at them. "Hey you two how have you been?" He asks like everything is just perfect.

"Where have you been Shepard?" Liara asks.

Tessa takes a more direct approach. She walks up to her father and clocks him with a full biotic punch. She watches as his face registers surprise at her attack and he actually staggers from the impact. His hand goes up to his chin holds it there.

"God, Tessa what was that for?" He asks her.

"What was that for!?" Tessa proclaims. "You've been gone over 18 months. Where the fuck have you been?"

His face shows the surprise at her statement. Tessa watches him look from her to her mother. She can tell he really didn't have any idea how long he has been gone. Tessa finds herself wondering again just what he is.

"Was I really gone that long?" Shepard asks Liara.

"You were. What have you been doing, Shepard?" Liara asks him.

Tessa watches him sigh when he answers. "Just let me show you. I'm sorry it was so long. I honestly didn't know." He walks over to them and holds out his hands to them. Tessa takes it and watches as Liara does the same.

One second they were on Thessia, then the next there was a bright blue light and then there was nothing but blackness. One second they were on a planet on one side of the galaxy. The next second they were gone, having traveled countless light years away.

Tessa finds herself on some sort of space station over looking a gas giant. She says the only thing she can think of at that moment.

"What the fuck!"


	3. Chapter 3

_So when i decided i was going to write a sequel i wanted to make sure i used it to do something i had not done before. That's when i thought it would be cool to write an antagonist. It's my first time attempting to write one on my own and i would love to have any feedback about him as you get to know him better through the story. Thanks for reading!_

* * *

Tessa walks through the station in awe. It would have taken hundreds of people to build something like this normally.

"You really did this all yourself?" She looks back and asks the man walking with Liara behind her.

She smiles back at him when he nods and smiles at her. Tessa continues her tour of the base. He takes them through living quarters, a kitchen area, and training grounds. Their last stop makes Liara gasp behind her. Tessa smiles as she takes in the large oval room lined with monitors and data feeds. A large desk centers around the equipment, a small seating area overlooks the asteroids flying around them.

"They are all blank at the moment. I knew better than to try to set up your data feeds for you. All I did was make sure you had the power output and the access to comm buoys so you could do your magic." Tessa turns around to watch the interaction between her parents. Her smile gets even bigger when Liara hugs him, and he hugs her back while winking at Tessa.

"There's so much I need to do." Liara starts listing off all the things she needs to do, while Tessa rolls her eyes at her mother. She turns her attention back to her surroundings.

"Where am I going to be staying?" Tessa asks when she realizes she has seen Shepard's room and the staff quarters. She finds herself hoping he isn't dumb enough to think she will stay in the same section with the hired help.

"Why don't we get your mother back so she can start packing. Then, I will show you to your wing." Shepard answers her.

"OOOO my very own wing. You're learning old man." Tessa exaggerates her response.

Tessa goes back to admiring her surroundings while the old people talk about their plans. She plops herself down on the sofa looking out into space. She can understand why some people find themselves more comfortable in space then on a planet. Tessa has spent most of her life ground-side, but looking out at the floating rocks and the brightly colored planet behind them, she realizes she will love staying here.

The sound of space ripping brings her out of her thoughts just in time to see the singularity close, and her father walk over too her.

"Like the view?" He asks her.

"I love it. I still can't believe you did all this yourself. Just don't think that it gets you out of trouble. Eighteen months she worried about you. I hope you have a great plan to make it up to her." Tessa tells him letting her displeasure show in her face.

"I really am sorry. I will have to make sure I keep a watch on me so something like this never happens again. You can yell at me more while I show you your rooms." He answers her.

"No more yelling unless you totally effed up my rooms. Also, I couldn't help but notice how difficult it will be to sneak lovers back here. That wasn't on purpose now was it?" Tessa accuses him.

He smiles at her again. "Oh you saw right through me. I know I made a big show about our security and secrecy, but what I really wanted to do was make sure you couldn't get lucky."

Tessa nods her head sagely, "Thought so. Won't work though," She gives him her best devilish smile, "It just seems like a challenge to me."

He laughs out loud at her.

They make small talk about nothing in particular as they make their way back to where the tour started. Tessa realizes they will need to add a little bit of life to the walls so everything isn't so monotonous and boring. Men, she thinks, so utterly boring.

The walk takes a couple minutes before he stops her in front of the elevator.

"There are stairs just in case, but you can get to everything from this elevator. Level 1 is the main training ground as you saw. Level 2 is the common areas and the kitchen. Level 3 will be the staff quarters and guest quarters. Level 4 is Liara's offices and command center. We will have to see how she settles in. Level 5 is Liara's and my own living quarters. Which leaves the top level all to yourself."

"You and mother have separate living quarters?" Tessa asks him, her eyes narrowing again.

"Yes, and stop giving me that look. We have all of eternity to see where we are going, I'm not going to rush things or jump to conclusions. Not only that, but also I set up rooms for your sisters as well, since I'm sure Liara isn't going to want to leave them behind to be tutored." Tessa nods at his answer, satisfied for the moment.

"OK then, impress me." Tessa tells him.

"He smiles again in anticipation. Pushing the up button they wait the couple seconds for the elevator to get to them. Together they make the trip up to the 6th floor.

Once the elevator doors open Tessa's mouth falls open as well. She slowly walks out of the elevator in awe. Completely forgetting about her father, she wanders through her living space. There are no walls or rooms. It's just one large area. The first thing she notices is the view through the glass sections of her ceiling. Looking up out into the black, she realizes she can get lost in it.

"That is exactly how I felt the first time I looked out into space. I was just a young officer right out of boot on my first long deployment, and we had this observation deck on the ship I was serving. I spent so much time in that room just looking out into space knowing, finally, where I belonged. Welcome home, Tessa." Shepard tells her.

A grand smile covers her face as she goes from area to area. Each different than the last. She has her own kitchen area and seating. Her large bedroom is separated into one corner, a built up closet offers it a bit of privacy from the rest of the room. She didn't notice at first, but in the very corner on the opposite end there is a restroom set off apart from everything else. In one corner there is a desk and library area. The shelves stand empty now, but she's sure her mother will find countless data pads to fill them. The opposite side offers a meditation and exercise area. Large metal exercise equipment contrast with the green shrubbery and waterfall that sets the area apart from the others. She walks through back to her bathroom. The door slides open as she approaches. The bathroom is wonderful as well. A large mirror overlays twin sinks. The shower is multi-headed and completely separated from the oversized tub on the other end. In the very back is the toilet blocked nicely by the back of the shower. Tessa is in love. It's perfect for her. Everything about it.

She walks back out to find her father leaning smugly against her closet. "So, how did I do?" He asks.

Tessa shrugs, "Eh, I guess I can settle for it." She covers the distance between them and leans up into the taller human. She leans into him and gives him a soft kiss on the cheek. Whispering in his ear as she does, "Thanks, daddy."

He laughs at her and gives her a hug. "So really, did I miss anything?"

She takes a minute to think about it. "No. I actually think you have everything covered. Don't worry though, if I think of something I will be sure to let you know."

"Good. Now, your mother told me what you have been up too." He starts.

Tessa thinks back to their tour. She doesn't remember them talking at all during it. Her eyes get big when she realizes what that means.

"Ewwww, you totally melded with her while I was in the room."

"That's a bad thing?" Shepard frowns at her.

She sighs realizing he probably has no idea, and then wonders if her mother set her up to have this uncomfortable conversation with her father. She can almost see her smug smile now. Tessa files this little information in the back of her mind for later use. "I owe you one, mother dearest."

"Think about it in human terms. Asari meld to procreate. Now it's true we do it for lots of other reasons too, but there's a natural order of things just like sex with humans. While you and I may meld to share information or experiences, it's a very private and intimate thing even between daughter and father. So you melding with mother would be like walking around naked in front of your human children. It's very, well, gross.

She watches him digest this information. "While I understand the walking around naked in front of your kids comparison, I never figured you for a prude Tessa dearest. After all, you didn't seem to have any trouble feeling up a guy right in front of me." He tells her.

"Of course not. Having sex isn't the same thing for an asari that it is for a human. You are going to have to learn old man that asari are very much different than humans. So for now, just know that I am more comfortable with you fucking her than with you melding with her. We can start from there, OK?"

Shepard watches her walk back toward the elevator when he sees her shiver and stick out her tongue like a thought disgusted her. He stands there for a couple more seconds realizing he still has so much more to learn.

* * *

The new Normandy is a beast. A sexy as hell beast. Ashley stands in engineering listening to Koran tell her a bunch of tech talk she doesn't understand, but Ashley figures with the way he's talking about it he probably has a total hard on. She nods when she feels he wants her too while she sneaks glances over at Joria to make sure the Turian isn't laughing at her.

After a few more minutes he finally realizes she has no idea what he's talking about.

"You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?" He tells her.

"Just now figuring that out? Koran, for such a smart guy you are pretty dense." Joria teases him.

"All Quarian captains have to understand their ships, otherwise what's the point." Koran exclaims.

"Sorry Koran, us human captains have Vulcan or Quarian or Salarian or Scottish engineering chiefs to handle all the science and techy stuff. All we need to do is over dramatize our sentences, make impossible decisions, and bang blue alien chicks." Ashley explains to him.

"Or green alien chicks." Jack yells over to them from her side of the engineering department. The human biotic is never far from her man. Ashley rolls her eyes at her XO and flicks her off. "You're so much more fun than your grandfather." Jack tells her for the hundredth time.

"Soooo anyway, back to the matter at hand, are we ready to go?" Ashley asks the Quarian. Changing the subject away from her confusing relationship with Shiala.

Koran gives one more dramatic sigh before telling them that yes the Normandy SR-3 is space worthy.

"Awesome, last stop. Then, let's go check out the cargo bay and see how Grunt and Dojin are doing." Ashley leads her other officers into the elevator to head down to the bottom deck.

"So what do you think of our new officers?" Jack asks them.

Ashley frowns not wanting to talk about them behind their backs. "I can tell you that Dojin has gotten me everything I asked for in just a week. He's a damn miracle worker. Not to mention he has already forwarded me a complete finances report. I'm a little confused what a SPECTRE and crew are suppose to do during peace time, so it will be nice not to have to worry about how we are going to pay for everything."

Ashley thinks to herself that she has no idea how their new pilot will do, or what her science officer is even suppose to do. Not to mention their whole mission seems weird. She reminds herself to ask Grunt what he knows of the Krogan they are picking up.

The elevator opens, and they file out into the cargo bay. Dojin is sitting at his desk looking over his reports while Grunt oversees the last of their supplies being unloaded. The krogan nods at her when she enters while the Volus turns around in his chair and gets up to meet her.

"Captain, is there something I can do for you?" He asks her. The rush of air in and out of his suit as he talks takes some getting use to. Ashley has to fight the desire to kneel down to get on his level. Looking down at the shorter stature being, she shakes her head.

"I'm just doing a final walk through before we ship out tomorrow and checking with each section head to make sure they have everything they need." Ashley informs him.

"I've got everything I need. I sent an email to all section heads to inform them of how I handle requisition requests. Sprocket has converted a small section down on section 3 to use as my quarters. He was even able to change the atmosphere so I can remove my suit for some amounts of time. I truly look forward to working with the other clans. Turians can be so stuffy and boring. Present Turian not including of course." Dojin says nodding his head toward Joria when he made the comment about turians.

"I couldn't agree more, actually. Especially when you put us in a military setting. All duty and honor and all that shit. My father would tell me that's Ashley's bad influence though." Joria answers him.

"Somehow everything you do wrong is my fault." Ash rolls her eyes.

Joria just shrugs, "What can I say? My old man knows I'm perfect."

"SHEPARRRRD!" Grunt's loud cry causes all to look toward the Krogan who towers over them all.

"GRUUUUUUUUNT!" Ashley yells back in the deepest most gravelly voice she can muster. It isn't very good.

"They finally got everything on board. I swear you small species take forever to do anything. Give me 5 krogan, and I could have been done a week ago." Grunt proclaims.

"You just found out a week ago Grunt." Ashley reminds him. As he walks closer Ash can see the scars he has from their fight with the reaper maw. One side of his face is a mass of scars. Doc assures her he still has full sight, but Ashley doesn't see how its possible. Those must be some thick eye lids to protect from thresher maw acid.

"Heh, heh. That's how good Krogan are." Grunt explains.

"I was meaning to ask you something Grunt," Ashley starts before Jack interrupts her.

"Before you go all business on us, there's something I've been wanting to find out." All eyes look down to the small human biotic. "So how about it Grunt, wanna find out who the toughest bastard in the galaxy is?"

Ashley knew she was crazy but challenging a krogan to a fist fight is stupid even for her. She was about to tell her so when Grunt responded.

"Heh, I would squash you like a bug."

"So you say, but it's not like we can have a push up contest. You with those tiny little arms and that big ass head. So how about it? My biotics versus your thousand pounds." Jack pushes him.

"You have got to be the bravest, dumbest person I have ever met." Joria tells Jack.

"Heh, fine. It wouldn't be the Normandy if we didn't shed a little blood on her." Grunt answers.

As the two walk away toward the center of the cargo bay, Joria moves over closer to Ashley's side.

"What do you think?" The Turian whispers to her as they watch.

"Personally, I think as soon as he gets those little arms on her it's all over." Ashley explains.

"Yes but the difference between Jack and yourself is that she is aware of her size." All of them look back toward the elevator to see Shiala and Dr. Browntree with Sprocket in tow. "She knows how to fight using her biotics as leverage. Something you refuse to do no matter how much I try to get you to." Shiala tells them.

"What can I say? Why give me a power like biotic charge and then not have me use it? You're just jealous." Ashley answers.

"Uh huh. Well, anyway, this should prove most interesting. If Jack fights this battle correctly, she should win." The Asari continues.

"You really think so?" Joria asks.

"Watch."

And so they did. They watched them circle each other. The Krogan's grin matched by the human female. The build up turns intense after a couple minutes. Jack is surrounded in the blue glow, while the krogan keeps his knees bent and his eyes locked on his prey. Neither one seems like they want to make the first move, and just when Ashley was getting frustrated with them they both launch at each other.

The roar of his battle cry echoes through the cargo bay. They all know by now that yes, he is a krogan. Jack answers his charge with a shockwave. The krogan powers through it like it's not even there and goes crashing into the human. Jack uses the momentum of his charge to roll away from him. Grunt doesn't hesitate; he just charges back toward her. Having learned her lesson last time with the shockwave, Jack uses lift this time, and they watch amazed as the thousand pound krogan's feet leave the deck. Jack pulls her arms back and unleashes a throw right at the big guy. Grunt goes flying through the air before landing with a large crash a few feet away from where he was.

"Oh my!" Dojin proclaims while he watches.

"Turians don't seem so bad now, do they?" Joria tells him.

"No. They sure don't." He answers.

Ashley looks over toward Shiala to see the Asari with a smug look on her face. She sends a thought into her head and smiles when the asari turns toward her with a stunned expression on her face.

"No secrets you two." Joria tells her. Ashley just smiles at her friend and ignores both of their looks as a very disturbed Diego Martinez's head pops out of his shuttle.

"Do you mind? Some of us are actually trying to do work." He scolds the two fighting.

"It's past the stopping point now LT. Might as well come over here and watch with the rest of us." Ashley tells him. He sighs and disappears back into his shuttle. They have been cool with each other since they were both reassigned to their new ship. Diego has been going on runs for the Alliance for the last year which made seeing each other hard. Over time, they just drifted apart, and while Ashley doesn't know how she feels about him, she thinks he's a little more sure of his feelings for her. So, he avoids her. Which is OK by her since one crazy relationship is enough for her. Although, Joria is right when she keeps telling her that eventually she will get that itch again. Stupid human sex drive.

As Ashley ponders her love life, her two crew members clash in a battle. Jack is staying true to what Shiala said she would. Avoiding the big Krogan and using her biotics to throw him around. Sadly, though, it doesn't seem to be doing any damage, and while she knows Grunt can do this forever, a biotic, even one as strong as Jack, can only last so long.

It took about fifteen minutes for the battle to play out. Jack did a good job avoiding the bigger Grunt, but eventually she tired and when she did she made a mistake. After throwing the krogan yet again, Jack used the small window when Grunt struggles to get to his feet to launch an attack. Rushing the Krogan Jack pulls her biotics into a punch and swings at him.

"Oh no!" Shiala cries out realizing that this was the trap that Grunt was setting.

When Jack gets within striking distance he moves quicker than he has the whole battle falling onto his back. Jack's eyes get big when she realizes she's toast. One kick from the Krogan sends the smaller human flying further than any of the throws she attacked him with. Ashley was relieved to see Jack switch her biotics to a barrier at the last second. Probably saved the woman a lot of pain. Either way, the battle was over, and Jack was laying there clutching her side. Dr. Browntree takes her time getting over to the hurting human and helps her with her pain.

"What did you want to ask me?" Grunt asks walking over to them.

"Not right now. We will wait for Jack to pull herself together. Officers meeting in the conference room in 2 hours." Ashley tells them before heading toward the elevator. Shiala leaves the doctor to help Jack and walks next to her.

"Would you really have done that if Jack would have won?" Shiala asks her as she gets into the elevator.

"Now Shiala, that we may never know." Ashley grins at the Asari as the elevator closes on her still stunned face.

* * *

What kind of name is Bliss for a restaurant? Octavious Pactous sits in his seat overlooking the construction happening across the street from him. He was suppose to meet his contact here an hour ago. Usually the Asari was more punctual than this. Looking down at the glossy printout of his target, he can't help but go over everything in his head while he waits.

It's been 18 months since the attack on the Matriarchal counsel. The power vacuum left in its wake was felt the galaxy over. He, like all other SPECTRES, got the tip from the asari counselor about who they are looking for.

Most of his peers just took a passing interest in her. They all said to him, 'What's the point of trying to catch a ghost?'. Octavious has to admit its become something of an obsession with him. There are only a few select organizations who could pull off something like this, and most of them had family members killed in the blast.

So the last year of his life has been filled with cutting through red tape and following money trails. It takes a special type of person to be able to follow a trail like he can. His mandible flickers with his grin thinking it takes a Turian.

He looks up from the picture to see the asari walking toward his seat in the back of the restaurant. She's wearing the tight, form-fitting dress loved by all her species. Her darker blue shade blends in nicely in the lavender of her dress. Everyone who pays attention to her sees her curves, but what has Octavious worried is the scowl on her face. He remains silent as she plops herself down dramatically in the seat opposite him. He watches her expressionlessly as she waves over the waitress and places her order with her.

Waiting until she had walked away with her order, Octavious finally speaks. "Well?"

The asari doesn't say anything, just looks at him until her drink arrives. She takes a couple long drinks of her wine before sighing loudly and getting comfortable.

"You realize you asked me to get information on the second most powerful information broker in the galaxy right?" She asks him.

"I wouldn't have given you anything you couldn't handle, Delessa." Octavious starts before she cuts him off.

"Save the platitudes. It doesn't suit you. I just want you to understand what you're getting into." Delessa tells him.

"What am I getting into?"

"Liara T'Soni has a business that spans the entire galaxy. She's the only broker who survived the Reaper War besides the Shadow Broker. She is the lone heir to two powerful matriarchs. If that isn't enough she has friends in the Turian Hierarchy and the Quarian Admiralty board. Oh and unless you forgot, she's best buddies with Matt fucking Shepard."

"Shepard is dead." Was his reply.

"Psh. I will just chalk that up to Turian ignorance with anything not related to war."

"We've been watching. He hasn't been seen on Earth, his family hasn't seen him in the last 18 months. If he's not dead, what's he doing? Trust me. We would know if Shepard was still alive." Octavious tries to convince her.

"Whatever. I'm not going to argue with you about it. I used my contacts to get the information you wanted." Delessa tells him.

"And?"

"The computer files are completely wiped. Security protocol says only assistants of matriarchs could have the access required to pull off what they did. So somebody in that room knew they were going to die. These are the most powerful beings in my race, Octavious. Why would one walk willingly to her death?"

He just shrugs at her, "I'm not trying to figure out why it happened. I'm trying to figure out who." For emphasis he flicks the picture on the table a couple times with his talon.

"And what happens when you find her?"

"Tevos pays me the reward for bringing her in. Dead or alive." Octavious simply replies.

"So that's all this is to you? Since when did Turians care about money?" Delessa pushes.

"If you're looking for some mystical meaning, that's just your asari nonsense. There's a criminal out there, and as a Turian and a Spectre that isn't acceptable. So leave all the nonsense behind. What can you tell me about Liara T'Soni? Is she a lead?"

"Fine. This is what I've found out about her. She has access to basically limitless funds, whether her own personal finances or through her business dealings. She's probably one of the strongest biotics for her age. She has some history with the Shadow Broker, but it seems to end around the time of the Reaper War. I couldn't find out why or how. Her education is top notch and she showed a very promising future in Archeology before the Geth conflict and meeting then Commander Shepard. She has two kids by a Drell named Feron. They are too young though, not even 20 yet. I won't bore you with how strange it is for an asari to have kids as young as she did, but she isn't your normal asari. I couldn't find any link as to why she would want to attack the matriarchs. She had a good relationship with her father, to the point where she was an adviser for her. Out of all the leads you've had me follow, she makes about the least sense. All the others have gained something politically or financially. Ms. T'Soni hasn't gained a single thing besides inheriting what was already hers." Delessa finishes her report and waits for his follow up questions.

He takes a minute or two to sort through his thoughts. Don't ever rush looking through evidence. Let each piece of information speak to you. Follow each thread to its natural conclusion. Liara is probably the best equipped to carry out the assault even if she has the least to gain. She could just be the tool the actual bad guys used to carry out their agenda.

"Did you find any questionable business relationships?" He asks.

"Of course, too many to name. Anywhere from out right terrorist organizations like Cerberus to questionable Mercenary organizations. She has holdings on Novaria, Illium, and numerous terminus systems. Some are fronts for her real business as an info broker, and some are legit. None of them led to anything even remotely resembling a motive."

Another few minutes pass in silence. Delessa finishes her drink while he works through things in his mind. He is going to want to have all his questions in order when he stops by the T'Soni compound after his meeting.

"Did you get anywhere at all about the Asari in the picture?" He asks her.

"No. It's a dead end. You know as well as I do that we aren't genetically diverse enough to build a character profile without actual DNA. It would be nice if everyone was as diverse as humanity, but there you have it."

"Did you email a copy of your findings over to me like always?"

"Of course."

"Thanks, I want you to keep shadowing Dr. T'Soni for a few more weeks. If she is just the tool used, there has to be a trail somewhere for us to catch. We just have to keep looking. If it is actually her agenda she's pushing, then all we have to do is wait for the plan to come to fruition."

"As you wish." Was all Delessa said in response.

There was no farewell, just a nod when Delessa pointed at her drink and raised her eyes. Picking up her drink was the least he could do for the asari. He watched her leave as he thought over what she told him. Truthfully, it wasn't anything he didn't already know, but it's nice to be thorough.

What he didn't tell her was just how much he knew about Liara T'Soni's past. While he wasn't alive for the reaper war, his family lost just about everything in the struggle. What most people didn't realize is a very select group of people ended up with all the power after that conflict. While humanity went from being a footnote in the galactic picture to the most powerful race in the galaxy, other dynasties died in the fires of war. The members of the Normandy SR-2, he knew every single one of them. Garrus Vakarian, Tali-Zorah Vas Normandy, Urdnot Wrex, Ashley Williams, Jeff Morneau, and of course Liara T'Soni and Matthew Shepard, the world builders. Nobody could amass that much power, both politically and militarily without destroying everyone in their path. One day their past will be displayed for all to see. Octavious Pactous will see to it.

He used the hour long shuttle ride over to the T'Soni compound to arrange his thoughts. He needed to see Liara's reaction more than anything. He announced his arrival and parked his shuttle.

He knew it was large, but large didn't do it justice. The compound was enormous. The building spanned a whole city block at least. 4 stories in spots which included a visitor and servant section. It must have been nice growing up a T'Soni.

He pushed the intercom and waited for a response.

"Can I help you?" Came a female voice over the comm.

"Special Tactics and Reconnaissance Agent Octavious Pactous to see Dr. Liara T'Soni." He said into the comm.

"I will be right there." The reply came a minute or so later.

The door opened a couple more minutes later, and he was led inside by an asari servant.

"Dr. T'Soni will meet with you in her office if you will follow me." The servant says to him.

He takes in the interior design on the way to the office. Expensive looking paintings and artifacts litter the rooms and halls. Some he reckons must be priceless. The servant leaves him in an expansive office overlooking the courtyard he arrived in.

Octavious knows this game well. He settles into one of the chairs on the other side of the large desk. She will do a quick search on him before she comes in. He can't help but smile to himself thinking about how things will play out.

Game on, Liara T'Soni. Game on.


	4. Chapter 4

_I am really sorry that it took so long to get this chapter up. Some things are going on in my personal life that make it hard to write. Anyway i should be able to get a few chapters written this week which hopefully will allow me to start back up my once a week chapter pace. Thanks for all the reviews guys, it's really wonderful to get them. Chevy99_

* * *

One small picture on her desk. His best plans wrecked by a simple group picture. Octavious feels his blood pulsate with increasing pressure. They all look so deliriously happy, those few who built a galaxy. A smug Commander Shepard surrounded by his friends. He knows Dr. T'Soni will be here shortly so he doesn't have time to fester in his rage. He brings up his omni-tool and scans the picture into his files. There are some people in the picture that he doesn't realize and something deep within his soul burns to see all of them answer to the ancestors for the crimes they committed.

He makes a mental note to have Delessa find out who the strangers are. He sits back in his seat and lets the anger feed him until Dr. T'Soni seems fit to grace him with her presence. It takes a couple more minutes before she finally appears. Dressed in a form fitting white outfit, Liara T'Soni commands a room anytime she enters it. Octavious understands why. This is a being who has seen everything and lived to tell it. He immediately realizes she doesn't even play the sexual innuendo that plagues all asari. She's completely confident in her intelligence and power. She doesn't need you to want her to get you to listen to her. You will either listen to her, or you won't. Octavious knows when people have secrets and he wants to know all of Liara T'Soni's.

He gets up to greet her as she walks toward him and her desk. She offers him her hand, and he takes it introducing himself.

"Octavious Pactous with Special Tactics and Reconnaissance."

"What brings a SPECTRE all the way out here?" Dr. T'Soni wastes no time getting to business. Octavious finds her directness pleasing since he isn't in the mood to play games anymore.

"Counselor Tevos has requested SPECTRE help in apprehending the persons responsible for the terrorist attack on the Matriarch's counsel. I am here following several leads and filling out character profiles on all affected parties." He answers her.

"So what do you need of me then?"

"I understand you run an information network based out of Illium. Is that correct?"

"That is." Short, brief answers won't give him the information he needs. He knows he needs to get her talking. Realizing that he needs to change tactics to get what he wants, he decides to try a different approach.

"Did I come at a bad time?"

"I run the second biggest information network in the galaxy which you just commented on. I am also trying to tie up any remaining loose ends here on Thessia so I can head back to Illium. So, to answer your question, any time is a bad time. Ask what you came to ask." Liara instructs him.

He can't help but smile to himself. It's just so much power and control for one young being to have. "Is there anything you can tell me that you've learned through your contacts? Any leads that you might have had that maybe the law here didn't follow through completely enough."

"I didn't really have any leads to give them. You have to know how asari work. We all keep secrets on our potential rivals, and believe me, if I knew anything that I thought was relative to the attack I would have told them. There just wasn't anything to report."

"Do you really think you're the best person to make that decision?" Octavious asks her narrowing his eyes.

"Since it's my information, I would say I am the only one qualified to make that decision. My clients would not appreciate me turning over information anytime an investigation ends up in my office."

"So you will keep everyone's secrets while the world burns around you?"

"The secrets I keep, Agent Pactous, are the only thing keeping this world from burning anyway." She informs him.

There it is. That small sentence tells him all he needs to know about Liara T'Soni. It makes him sick. When you give someone that much power they will think they are the only ones who deserve it. He doesn't need to know anything else. He activates his omni-tool and brings up the picture he wants to show her.

"Do you know this Asari?" A simple question asked while he transfers the file over to her omni-tool. He watches her reaction to what she sees. He has to hand it too her, she is very good. She barely even flinched. That slight movement is all he needs of course. Now he knows that somehow Liara T'Soni is connected to the attack or the asari responsible. All that's left to do now is find out if she will lie about it.

"No, I'm sorry. I've never seen her before. Do you think she is connected to the attack in some way?" Octavious has to hold back so he doesn't laugh out loud. All the control and power don't mean anything now. Now he has information he needs.

He closes the picture file and starts to stand up to leave. "It's nothing. Just following a lead. I don't want to waste anymore of your time."

She walks with him to her office door. He can see the worry lines barely showing on her forehead. His joy to see her like this cannot be described. If this is what it feels like to just cause Liara T'Soni worry, how wonderful will it feel when he watches her world crumble around her.

She leaves him in the capable hands of her servant, and Octavious watches her walk back toward her desk before the door slides shut on him. He smiles down at the small asari leading him toward the exit.

"Is there anything else you need today, Agent?" She asks him.

"No thank you. I got everything I came for." He tells her. For once, he isn't lying about it either. All he has to do now is have Delessa watch her here on Thessia and have his contact within the League of Five bug her offices on Illium. He will get the lead he needs either here or there.

As he walks out of the complex into the yard he realizes everything just seems a little bit nicer when you get your way.

* * *

Ashley Shepard is having her first officer's meeting on her new ship. They updated the conference table from the SR-2, adding chairs and an overhead monitor. Ashley is sitting at the head of the table surrounded by all her officers. There's Koran, her engineering chief. Jack, her XO, is sitting next to him. Next to Jack is Joria, her weapons systems specialist, and on the far side sits her requisitions officer, Dojin. Dojin is the first Volus she has ever had the pleasure of working with, and so far he has done a splendid job. On the opposite side by the window sits her chief medical officer Dr. Browntree with Sprocket sitting at her feet between them. The dog shaped AI has finally been completely integrated into the Normandy's systems. His new slick body looks more like a real wolf hound than a metal dog. As if he can tell Ashley is thinking about him, he sits up and cocks his head at her. Dr. Browntree assures her that he has processing power equal to EDI, but the thing acts like a bloody dog. To drive that point home the mutt ends up opening his mouth and panting, his long metallic tongue dangling from his mouth.

The doc casually reaches down and scratches behind his ears until he settles back down. Ashley just stares dumbfounded until the doctor just smiles back at her. Her other officers include her scientific officer Dr. Jar Dim Barbour, a Salarian equal parts genius and crazy. Next to him is Grunt, Krogan Warlord and baddest motherfucker in all the galaxy. His face never really recovered from their fight with the reaperized Thresher Maw, but what he lacks in looks he makes up for in being, well, himself.

Technically there are two more officers in her crew. Lt. Diego Martinez flies their prototype stealth shuttle, while flight Lt. Danea Sopals flies the ship. The Asari pilot served under the 5th fleet during the reaper war and was decorated for keeping her ship together during the attack on Earth. The other asari in the room is seated on the opposite side of the table as Ashley. Technically, she's Ashley's assistant, but the day a 300 year old asari commando is an assistant is the day Ashley will consider herself a patrol officer.

Ashley lets them all settle into their seats and chat a few minutes getting to know each other better. Once the actual talking started turning into laughing and jokes, she decided it was time to start the meeting. She uses the touch pad located at her seat to bring up the dossier on the Krogan they are picking up. The talking immediately stops when they notice the file on the screen in front of them.

Jack is the first one to talk as usual. "Who's he?"

"Hey, I know him!" Grunt proclaims as all eyes turn toward him. "He's one of Wrex's little shits. The one named after Mordin."

"Mordin, Mordin?" Jack asked.

Grunt just nods at the question. Ashley uses the break to bring up all the info contained in his dossier.

Jar Dim takes over the discussion as they all read. "Doctorate's in Mass Effect Theory, Astro Engineering, Theoretical Physics, and Astrophysics from MIT. Very Impressive. Was guest speaker at MIT once. Bright students; good school." Listening to a Salarian talk takes some getting use to, but Ashley thinks she is finally starting to get him. I guess if you only have 40 years you don't want to waste any unnecessary time getting your point across.

Ashley clicked one more time bringing up the title of his Thesis. Again, the Salarian read it aloud.

"Using Mass Effect Technology to take the Krogan into the stars."

"You have got to be kidding." Danea muttered.

"Would have to read it to be sure, but with education it is likely he could complete a ship capable of light speed travel." Jar Dim explains.

"Is that really a good thing?" This came from Joria looking every bit as concerned as a Turian should be at the prospect of a space-faring Krogan race.

Shiala, ever the diplomat, gently changes the subject away from something so volatile. "What exactly does this have to do with us?"

Ashley smiles at her and thanks her mentally as she answers her question. "Our mission is to escort the good doctor from Earth back to Tuchanka and assist him in something called a Rite of Passage."

"Oh, come on. I am so sick of fighting Thresher Maws. Can't they give us anything else." Jack proclaims.

"Wait! What's this about Thresher Maws?" Ashley asks her.

"Your Grandfather assisted our Grunt here in his rite. It involved fighting a maw on foot." Jack answers.

"Heh, heh, heh, good times." Grunt adds.

"Has there been anything that warrants a SPECTRE crew to do this?" Koran asks.

"This is the biggest thing to happen in the galaxy since the end of the Reaper war." Shiala answers his question. "Remember part of the treaty the krogan had with the counsel after the war was that they wouldn't be given colony rights until they proved they could get there without another species help."

Ashley takes over her thoughts for her. "Which means that any number of groups may want to make sure that he never sets foot on Tuchanka."

"Not to mention those already on Tuchanka, who wouldn't want a rival clan to have the glory this would lead too." Grunt finishes for them. "Also, since he's Wrex's son, it would look bad if he couldn't pass the rite with a krantt of his own. Since he's been off world so long everyone would know any krantt that stood with him would just be standing with his father and not with him."

"But a human krantt would make sense since he was on earth." Ashley finishes. "So, there you go. Our mission is to get him safely back to Tuchanka and through whatever rites he needs to pass. Any Questions?"

"Do we have any other Intel on what to expect?" Koran asks.

Ashley looks down at the dog laying at Dr. Browntree's legs. "Do you have anything that could be of assistance?"

He looks up at her and responds. "Affirmative!"

After he answers, all of their omni-tools go off as they start receiving a download. Ashley quickly flips through it before realizing its going to take more than just a few seconds. Sighing to herself, she decides to end the meeting for now.

"Well, it seems we all have homework tonight. The trip to Earth takes a couple days so make sure you're all read up on what we can expect." Ashley looks around to make sure they all understand before saying, "Good. That about covers everything so you're all dismissed."

Ashley slumps back into her chair as they all mingle and chat on their way out. The last one to leave was Shiala, and she lightly rubbed her shoulder on her way out.

A few hours later Ashley finally got out of her uniform and was sitting comfortably in her chair looking over the information Sprocket provided. Ashley wasn't aware of the dissent within the Turian population about the Krogan situation. For the first time in over a year, she finds herself wishing her grandfather was still around to make sure they all didn't lose their shit, and while she knows technically he's still alive she knows he won't interfere again. She can't help but wonder what he's doing now with those asari. Her anger at him comes up quickly when she thinks about him living with them while his human family sits on earth.

The intercom dings, causing Ashley to wonder at who it is. She starts getting out of her chair as she calls out. "Come in."

Ashley walks out to meet whoever it is at the elevator. Seeing Shiala there sends a smile to her face before she even realizes it. The green asari smiles back. "Come on in." Ashley tells her. "Would you like some wine or anything?" She doesn't need her telepathic connection to know the older woman loves her wine.

"Thank you, that would be wonderful." Shiala answers.

Ashley notices as she walks down the few steps in her captain's quarters to sit at the seating area across from her bed. She also notices the spike in Shiala's arousal as she watches Ashley bend over to get the wine out of the wine rack.

"Stop checking out my ass."

"What do you expect when you bend over with those shorts on? I mean there's nothing to them at all." Shiala responds.

Grabbing the bottle and a couple glasses, she walks over to join her while she responds, "They're workout shorts. There isn't suppose to be much to them."

"I didn't know you were working out. Am I interrupting you?" Shiala asks innocently while she sniffs her wine that Ashley presented to her. "Ooh Thessia Red. I'm impressed."

"Well you do nothing but sing its praises in your mind all the time. How could I not try it?" Ashley answers her. "And you know full well you aren't interrupting me. I'm just not about to lounge around in my panties."

"Such a shame, that." Shiala responds laughing when she feels and sees Ashley's slight blush.

"You didn't just come up here to make me uncomfortable, did you?" Ashley asks her.

Still smiling Shiala takes another sip of her wine. "Of course not. I could do that from the comfort of my own bed." Shiala pauses for a minute while she thinks on that, making sure Ashley sees the vivid images in her own mind.

" .God. Would you stop that." Ashley responds shutting her eyes trying to keep the images out of her head.

"What do you expect? I keep trying to get you to practice your mental blocks, but you never have time. Maybe now you will."

"OK, OK. You've made your point, Shiala. What did you really come up here to talk to me about?" Ashley asks.

Shiala keeps the images going while she finishes her wine watching as Ashley gets redder and redder. "I can't believe you haven't even thought about these things. Who doesn't think about having sex with an asari?"

"I don't." Ashley responds her anger rising.

"You mean you didn't" Shiala jokes as she laughs out again.

Ashley just stares at her.

"Fine, fine. I will stop. Jeez, you're no fun at all."

Ashley sighs as the images finally stop. Making sure to keep her grumpy face on so Shiala doesn't get anymore ideas.

"Well, since I can tell you're super curious, I stopped by because I could feel your anger building, and I thought I would give you an option to talk about it." Shiala explains to her while holding up her glass for a refill.

Ashley complies filling it back up.

"This whole thing just has war written all over it." Ashley tells her.

"And?" Shiala prompts her.

Ashley looks into the asari's face, realizing she already knows whats bugging her, she just wants her to say it.

"OK, fine. I was thinking how shitty this could turn out, which got me to thinking about my grandfather, which got me to thinking about those stupid asari whores, no offense, which just got me mad. Are you happy now?"

Ashley watches as she takes a long slow drink of her wine before she answers.

"No offense taken."

Ashley can't believe that's all she has to say. Shaking her head she proclaims, "And!?"

"And what?" Shiala asks her back.

"We play this game enough. You feel me get angry, and then, you come up here to talk about it. So tell me the great wisdom 300 years has brought you so I can just go to bed."

"You know we don't have to even worry about all that wisdom. We could just go to bed. The end result would be the same, you know. I would be satisfied and you would be relaxed. That temper of yours really isn't good for you, not without some outlet. Why aren't you even sleeping with Diego? I mean it's clear he wants to."

"I am so not going to sleep with you. Also, Diego wants a lot more than just to sleep with me. If it was just that, I wouldn't have any problem with it." Ashley tells her.

"Oh, so you are keeping your distance for his benefit?" Shiala asks her.

"Of course."

"Can you tell me why that is?"

Ashley sighs and drains her glass in one laugh gulp. "Because I don't want to commit to him."

"Well maybe you should think about what's changed since you started dating that makes you not want to commit to him now." Shiala tells her lifting her eyes up so she conveys the fact that she already knows the answer.

"Fine, I admit it. I don't know what the deal is with us. It has me all confused, and I just don't know what to do about it." Ashley finally tells her defeated.

"Well that wasn't so hard. Now, was it?" Shiala explains to her. "Also, don't worry about things. I have a feeling we will be getting a visit from your grandfather sooner than you think."

Ashley looks back to her, surprised she would think that. She opens her mouth to ask, but Shiala quickly places one of her soft green fingers over her mouth.

"No more questions tonight. We have two more days until we get to Earth, so you have plenty of time to think about things. You're welcome for sharing the wine with you. It should help take your mind off things and let you get to sleep. Just in case you need more help, here's this too." Shiala tells her before standing up and leaning over and kissing her gently.

Her lips are so soft and light. Ashley finds herself returning the kiss before she even realizes what she's doing, and when Shiala sends her an image of them in bed together doing so much more than kissing, Ashley can't help but moan out against the asari's lips. Shiala ends up being the one to break the kiss sending one last thought into her mind before she wordlessly leaves her room.

"That was just in case you need to do anything else to help you relax."

Another hour later, Ashley found herself using that image again. Then, sleep came.


	5. Chapter 5

_Bioware owns the Mass Effect Universe. Here's this weeks chapter i hope you all like it._

* * *

Earth.

The last time Ashley was on Earth was for her Grandmother's funeral. It's not a happy memory. In fact, everything started changing that day. First, she lost the greatest influence in her life, and if that wasn't enough, she was introduced to Liara T'Soni and an aunt she didn't even know she had. If that was all she thinks she could have handled it, but that also sent her grandfather on a quest that would force him to retire first from the alliance and then from life itself.

Ashley knows she shouldn't be thinking about it or be depressed for that matter, but she can't seem to shake her emotions. She's not alone though, for which she is grateful. It seems like every time her heart starts to get the better of her she has a certain asari visitor.

Shiala is sitting on the couch in her quarters. If you want to get right down to it, it's more like she's sprawled out on her couch. Ashley doesn't need their mental connection to know the woman is hanging out in her cabin for moral support, and while she does a good job of pretending that she is completely clueless at what she's thinking, Ashley knows better.

She finishes her makeup and strolls over to her bed bending down and grabbing her shoes on the way. She looks up to see Shiala watching her as she starts putting on her dress shoes.

"I don't think I've seen that outfit before." Ashley tells the asari. It was true, the alliance clothes she usually wears were replaced by something way more asari. The black leather covers her from her feet all the way up to her neck. It's formed snugly around her body offering protection in all the vital areas. While it wasn't armor, she can tell it's military issue.

"You've never seen commando leathers before?" Shiala asks her, not able to keep the shock out of her voice.

Ashley just shakes her head, "Can't say I have."

"Hmm, I guess you really haven't faced any asari in battle so why would you. Heavier armor messes with our biotics so most asari wear some form of leather. Over the years we've made changes in material and barrier support until they now offer us protection equal to most light armors supplied by the alliance."

"If you haven't worn them before, why now? I mean, we're on Earth." Ashley asks her.

"Oh, you misunderstand. I'm wearing them for the same reason you're wearing your casual dress outfit. We're both representatives of our military."

Ashley nods in understanding. She hates dressing up, but her delta uniform is much better than her dress blues. She can even put some make up on and do her hair without feeling like she's turning herself into an object. She smirks remembering what her grandmother use to tell her after she enlisted.

"Just remember, even if you can shot shit from 100 meters, doesn't mean you can't still like being a girlie girl."

She fails to hold back her sigh as she remembered trying to explain to her that they had to give her a shotgun because she couldn't shoot anything past 40 meters.

"What's so funny?" Shiala asks.

"Nothing really. I was just remembering my grandmother."

"Ah, you know I remember meeting her on Feros all those years ago." Shiala tells her.

This catches Ashley a bit by surprise. "Really!"

"Yeah. It was while Shepard was trying to catch up with Saren. She was on his team along with the Quarian."

"Tali-Zorah." Ashley informs her.

"Right, that's her. Anyway, she was quite the soldier. I can see how you turned out to be as skilled as you are."

"I know it's silly, but sometimes I forget that she was there for that whole thing. It's weird to me to think of a time before they were even dating. I know they didn't really become an item until after Virmire, and then things got really complicated on Horizon. They never really talked about the times before the war."

"You know, I made a pass at him when I met him again on Illium." Ashley looks up to see Shiala watching her as she tells her that.

"Oh God! Please tell me you're kidding." Ashley can't help but sound disgusted at that. The kiss they shared a couple days ago still fresh on her mind.

Ashley can't help but feel the sadness crash over her like waves coming off Shiala. She immediately regrets saying that. Since she's finished getting dressed she walks over to the asari who hangs her head as she sits on her couch. Sitting next to her, she takes her hand and squeezes it to get Shiala to look up at her. When she catches the asari's eyes she tries to make her understand.

"I'm sorry I said that. Sometimes I forget you've been around for so long."

"That's not why I'm sad. Listen, sometimes I wonder if you realize how much you're like him. When I met him on Feros he was this amazing force of nature that everyone seemed in awe of. Your grandmother and the Quarian both looked at him like he was this superhero. I didn't understand it at first, but in just a few sentences I realized why everyone acted that way around him. He knew I was indoctrinated from serving with Benezia on Sovereign. In spite of that, he didn't think twice about sparing me even though he had no reason too. If that wasn't enough, he swoops in on Illium and fixes all my problems again. I was there for days trying to do what he did in a matter of minutes. Of course I wanted him. What you don't seem to be able to understand is that I want you for that very same reason. I spent maybe a total of 3 hours with him, but you I've been able to get to know so much better. I just wish you would realize that you've earned everything that's been given to you."

As uncomfortable as she was thinking about Shiala hitting on her grandfather, this is way more awkward. Ashley doesn't have any idea what to say to a confession like that. She regrets answering like she did as soon as she said it.

"You wanted him after just 3 hours?"

She watches the bitter smile form on those lips of hers. The same lips that kissed her so passionately. She tries thinking of something to say to make up for her stupidity, something that would change this hurt she's sharing with her right now.

"Sometimes I wonder if you think we are all sluts." Shiala tells her as she gets up and pulls her hand out of Ashley's. "I get that you don't understand asari completely, and I understand you don't like what Liara did with your grandfather. But what you don't seem to understand is once we reach the matron stage our biology forces us to search out a mate. It's not something you can turn on and off. We aren't looking for sex or cheap thrills. I'm not looking for sex or a cheap thrill. Maybe it's time you put your preconceived notions to the test, and see if they hold up. Especially since you are probably about to meet the first Krogan scientist ever."

Ashley watches her leave. Wishing she could think of something to say to make things right. Wondering why it hurts so bad to watch her go.

"I am so not a lesbian." She tells herself.

The world around her starts vibrating with power. The blue aura of his power resonates all around. One minute Tessa stands in their hotel room on Cyone, and the next she's standing in the middle of her mother's office.

She closes her eyes for a minute to get readjusted to life within the bounds of the laws of physics. Once she opens them, she realizes that something is very wrong. All of Liara's stuff is packed up in boxes stacked neatly on top of each other around her desk.

She wonders what could possibly have gone wrong in the few days they were separated. She had planned on waiting for Shepard to materialize behind her, but she needs to find her mother this instant.

Every room she enters is the same as the last. All the possessions boxed up and stacked in areas surrounding the furniture. Even more surprising is the lack of servants around the compound. Tessa brings up her omni and calls to her mothers.

"Hey Tessa. Where have you two been?" Her mother asks her when she answers.

"We decided to go shopping on Cyone while you got things in order here. I have to admit, I didn't expect you to do it so fast. Is something the matter?"

"I got a visit by a Spectre. We need to have a conversation with your father. Is he here too?" Liara asks her.

"He was just checking out. It shouldn't be too much longer." Tessa explains.

"Good. I'm just checking over everything in my bedroom. I will meet you in my office, OK?" Liara tells her.

"You got it." Tessa tells her while turning around and heading back toward where she arrived.

Her mother joins her shortly after she arrives. She walks over silently and hugs her, making Tessa feel even more awkward.

"What's going on?" She asks again.

Before Liara could answer her, the room lights up again, and her father joins them in the office. For some reason he doesn't need to readjust to life within the laws of physics. Tessa wonders again if he is really bound by them at all.

She watches as he looks around her office the same way she did. His eyes take in everything silently before landing on her mother.

"Sooooo what's new?" He asks innocently.

"Mother received a visit from a Spectre while we were gone." Tessa fills him in. "She was just about to inform me what about before you arrived."

"Oh. Well why did he stop by?" Shepard asked her.

"It seems there was a picture of the person responsible for the attack on the matriarch counsel." Liara explains.

"Ah. Did they want your help tracking them down?" Shepard asks nodding his head like he understands.

"Kind of." Liara tells him looking over at her.

"Well were you able to? I can't imagine who would carry out an attack like that. From what I know of what happened the Asari stopped the Salarians from betraying the counsel."

"Right, well I learned something while you were off building our new home." Liara starts to explain.

Shepard just waits for her to continue. Tessa watches the interaction with a growing knot of dread buried in her gut.

"It seems the matriarchs were indoctrinated as well as the Salarians. So the attack was actually what saved the counsel as the asari were suppose to join with the Salarians in their attack on the Turian's and Humans."

"Wait, indoctrinated? Didn't I stop it when I defeated Sovereign?" Shepard asks.

"They weren't indoctrinated by the reapers." Tessa tells him.

She watches it dawns on him who else had the power to indoctrinate so many people.

"Are you sure?" He asks them.

"I'm sure. I had to fight my sisters and kill my grandfather. You can bet your ass I'm sure." Tessa growls at him.

"Why didn't you tell me this?"

"Because you were off doing Goddess knows what for a year plus. When you got back it just wasn't important."

"It doesn't matter anymore." Liara interrupts them. "What matters now is they know Tessa is responsible for the attack, and it's only a matter of time before they figure out she's related to me. We have to get off world while we still can. I'm just thankful that we can leave without anyone realizing."

"How do they know it was Tessa?" Shepard asks her.

"They have her picture. They can't prove anything until they realize who she is. Tessa covered her tracks well, but I can tell this particular Spectre believes I'm connected somehow."

Tessa watches her father work everything out in his mind. "Fine. You can fill me in once we get off Thessia. Do you have every room set up like this?"

"Yes. I figured you could just teleport everything, and we can sort it out there. I've already given all the servants very generous severance packages with instructions to wait three days before cashing them."

"Good, that's plenty of time for us to disappear until we get everything straightened out." Shepard proclaims.

The next couple hours were a whirlwind for Tessa as she helped her parents transport and organize their whole compound over to their new station/home. She didn't realize how good it would feel to finally tell him her secret nor can she help but wonder what he will say when she brings up what she wants to happen to those responsible for the attack.

Ashley is beyond miserable. She had given her crew 48 hours shore leave once they were docked, but she hoped at least Joria would accompany her to the university to get the Krogan. Her supposed best friend seemed to take an awful lot of pleasure telling her that she was going with Grunt, Jack, and Koran to Boston. After that she watched helplessly as the rest of her crew checked off their destinations until there were just two standing in front of her.

Taking a shuttle ride with Diego Martinez and Shiala was the last thing Ashley wanted to do today. Here she sits though, with Diego flying in silence and Shiala sitting across from her. The asari is completely ignoring her as well, but that's not stopping her from keeping that horrible grin on her face at how uncomfortable Ashley is.

Thankfully it wasn't that long of a ride. Diego announced they had arrived before he joined her and Shiala, and they exit the shuttle.

"What's a beaver?" Shiala asks.

Ashley looks over at her confused while Diego breaks out in laughter. Shiala looks at her like she really wants an answer.

"Why do you ask?" Ashley asks her.

Shiala points to the sign by the building they are walking too. On the sign it says Massachusetts Institute of Technology, home of the beavers.

"Oh." Ashley sighs, then answers. "It's a small animal here on earth."

"Why would they house all the beavers here?"

Ashley looks at her, amazed she doesn't understand mascots. The smile fighting to crack her face betrays her knowledge.

"Are these beavers hairy? It's amazing how evolution seemed fit to give everything on this planet so much hair."

That comment made Diego fall over with laughter, while Ashley continues to stare at the asari. Shiala just looks over at her and winks.

"Truthfully though, it makes no sense. A vagina doesn't look anything like a beaver." Shiala casually tells her after Diego falls out of hearing range.

"Maybe yours doesn't, but I think when that slang came into use they were a bit more similar. Especially here on earth. You know how evolution decided to make everything hairy." Ashley explains just wanting the conversation to end.

Thankfully it did end as they entered the building. The two women walked in silence into the office. Ashley walks up to the desk and asks the woman sitting behind it, "Excuse me, my name is Captain Ashley Shepard. I'm looking for Dr. Mordin. Do you know where I can find him?"

"Oh yes, Captain. Dr. Mordin left a message asking that you meet him in the labs. It seems he had one more experiment he just had to finish before he leaves." The woman smiles at her.

"Can you give me directions to the lab?" Ashley asks.

"Oh right. I'm sorry. Just go back out the doors you came in, and walk down that sidewalk until you reach the third building on your right. He will be in one of the labs on the 3rd floor."

"Thank you."

Diego rejoins them once they exit back out of the building. As he falls in behind them, Ashley notices Shiala start to open her mouth, but before she can say anything Ashley punches her in the arm.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Shiala whines at her while she rubs her arm where Ashley punched her.

"That was for whatever dirty thing you were about to say."

Ashley smiles as Shiala frowns and continues to rub her arm. "Rude." The asari comments.

The rest of the trip is made in silence, thankfully. Once they reach the building they were looking for, Ashley leads the way inside. She stops the first student they pass and asks him if he knows where Mordin is.

"3rd floor room 347. Can't miss it." He answers her while staring at Shiala.

Shiala thanks him as he beams at her before basically skipping away from them.

"I'm starting to think they don't see many Asari here." Shiala informs her.

"If that's the case, I can't wait to see how they handle a krogan." Ashley mumbles as she walks toward the stairs.

She briefly thinks of taking the elevator before deciding to just hoof it. The exercise will do her good. Once they reach the 3rd floor, she thought she would have to ask for directions again, but it was quickly apparent that something was happening. Students were running back and forth between the rooms. The majority of them going into the room she figured was 347. Heading that way, she couldn't help but wonder just what all the excitement was about.

Room 347 was chaos. Students were huddled over the monitors. Whatever was on them was more important than the asari who just entered their room. Ashley looks over at Shiala who just shrugs at her. Ashley walks over to the one who looked the oldest.

"Excuse me?" She asks.

Her female voice must have shocked them out of their stupor as they all turned to look at the new arrivals.

The older one with the large white lab coat and the old fashioned clip board looked over at them. "Can I help you?" He asks.

"Yes, Hi. I'm Captain Ashley Shepard. We're looking for Dr. Mordin."

"He's getting ready for an experiment. He said you were coming and that you could just hang out here and watch if you wanted." Just like that he turned his attention back to the monitors.

"What experiment would that be?" Shiala asks.

"One of the students sitting down at the monitor looks over at her and answers. "He's testing human biotic potential against krogan intestinal fortitude."

That perked Ashley's attention, and she turned to ask him another question when the shutters blocking view into room 347 started coming down.

For a lab it wasn't anything like Ashley expected. There were no tables or chairs or anything. Just four walls and some odd equipment that she wasn't sure of.

There was one door on the east side of the room and a roll of windows against the back of the lab. The only other exit is the door to the room they are in right now. All eyes were watching the room now, and Ashley could feel the anticipation building. Whatever this experiment is, they can't wait to see it.

The door opposite them opens and a human enters wearing alliance issue armor. Ashley takes a moment to look at the monitors all the students are checking out. On them she sees hundreds and hundreds of more students watching what's happening in room 347.

"Can he see them?" Ashley asks.

"Yeah there's a group of monitors against the wall facing us." One of the man students points to the ceiling on the other side of the glass.

The human smiles and launches a couple throws around the room for the crowd. Now Ashley sees what's special about the room. It's protected against biotic attacks. He stands there with his hands up like he can hear the applause. The students are all smiling and cheering him both in the room and on the monitors.

When the door opens a second time the cheering instantly stops. The person entering is the most unusual krogan Ashley has ever seen. Gone is the typical armor their race wears. Replacing it is a pair of faded blue jeans and a giant polo shirt that is big enough to go around his giant melon and cover his hump. Smaller than most, you can tell right away that he is no warrior like Grunt. Ashley watches wondering if this scientist was really the best example of krogan fortitude they could find.

Ashley watches as he walks over toward the room they are standing in. He reaches up with one hand and turns on the intercom.

"Everything all set in there?" No matter how he looks, he still has the powerful voice that all krogan males have.

Clipboard answers him. "We're all set in here, Dr. Mordin. People are watching all over campus if you want to say anything to them before we proceed."

Mordin nods and switches the intercom so he's talking to everyone.

"I have listened for years about how human ingenuity can make up for the shortfalls your race so clearly has. I have been told countless times that a little bit of biotic potential is better than redundant systems and physical superiority. After so long, I didn't think there was a single one of you who would ever back up all your empty boasts. Finally, though, one of you has shown himself to be more than empty words. One of you stood in my class and said he could prove that human potential would prevail against anything I could throw at him. Your champion, Ensign Mark Summers." With that he waves his arm at the human bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. Ashley looks down to see the crowds giving him a standing ovation.

After giving them a couple seconds to cheer for him, he addresses the crowd one more time. "Now witness the futility of all your supposed gifts in the face of a superior race. I will leave the intercom on so you can hear as you witness Krogan strength."

Once he was done addressing the crowd he turns his attention back to Ensign Summers. "You sure about this?"

"Let's do it." Was all he relies.

The next thing that happens shocks Ashley completely. The krogan started pulling his shirt over his head. She barely had a second to take in her first topless krogan before he steps out of his giant sneakers. Next off came his jeans revealing the biggest pair of tighty whiteys Ashley has ever seen.

"Oh my word." Ashley looks over at Shiala as she speaks. Her hands covering her mouth.

Ash was just about to ask her what when her sharp intake of breath caused Ashley to look back toward the krogan.

"Oh Goddess." Shiala proclaims and Ashley agrees. The underwear was gone. Ashley wants to turn away so badly, but she can't.

"That is by far the biggest penis I have ever seen." Diego mutters on the other side of her.

He's right too. Ashley has seen her share, and the krogan is just bigger. Not to mention the fact that it sits on four large testicles.

"There is a certain powerful grace about a naked krogan, isn't there?" Shiala comments.

"There's something." Ashley replies amazed that the rest of them seem to have seen this a million times. "What is going on?"

They just shush her and continue watching.

She can hear Mordin talking to the soldier. "I've been building this up for a few days now are you sure you want to do this?"

"Let's go old man. Time to put you in your place." The human replies.

Mordin laughs at that, and Ashley can't help but think that all Krogan have that same chilling laugh that she knows Grunt for.

"Light it!" Mordin shouts back at them.

"Light what?" Ashley asks. Her answer was the equipment in the middle of the room. It turns out its some kind of burner. Ashley watches with growing horror as the flame grows until its a good foot long sideways. "You can't be serious."

"What?" Shiala asks, genuinely confused.

"I don't even know how to explain it. Just watch."

So they did. They watched as Mordin paces the room a couple times before stopping in front of the human and the flame. His naked frame partially blocking the view of the human. Ashley sees him bring up his barrier careful not to extend it past the line on the floor a few feet in front of the flame.

Shiala finally realizes what's about to happen when Mordin turns around and bends over in front of the flame.

Ashley knows this because she covers her eyes. Ashley wishes she could turn away herself, but something is stopping her. Then came the loudest, longest fart she has ever heard. Now, it's fair to note that Ashley went to boot with a bunch of men. She has heard her share of them, but they were nothing like this. This was a volcano. Of course the release of gas met the flame and what came next can only be described as a torrent of light colliding with his barrier. When the flame crashed against him the room flashed completely blueish white for just a second. It takes another second for her eyes to adjust, but she hears the crash of glass as clear as day. Realizing that it's the windows in the lab she runs to the door followed by everyone else. The only person left in the room was the krogan so Ashley runs over where the window use to be.

She peers over the edge and sees the ensign sprawled out on a bunch of mattresses. Students are rushing over to him from where they were watching on the monitors, and Ashley notices Mordin come up next to her and look out the window himself.

"I figured those mattresses would come in handy." He says matter of factually.

Ashley just looks at him.

Once the students made sure the human was alright they all looked up at them standing there. Then they started clapping and cheering. Ashley looks over at Mordin to see the giant raise his hands over his head and shout out. "THAT IS KROGAN."

With that he turns his attention back to her. "Dr. Mordin, and you are?"

She just looks at him in a daze. Shiala nudges her, and she finally remembers where she is. "Captain Ashley Shepard."

"Ah, yes. I've been expecting you. Hope you had a pleasant trip." When she didn't answer him he just kept talking. "There is a going away party in my honor tonight at the commons. I would be honored if you and your asari friend would join me."

Thankfully Shiala answered for them. "We would love to."

"Great. Oh and since I can see your wondering, the secret is my tail."

Shiala looks over at her confused, and they both turn to the krogan asking him to explain.

"What keeps the flame from traveling back up into my anus. Without my tail to cut of the gas supply I could seriously harm my asshole. I could tell you were wondering." With that he casually starts walking away from them.

Ashley can't stop herself from asking what's on her mind.

"Mordin." When the krogan turned back around toward them she continues, "how long have you gone to this university?"

He pauses a minute like he's thinking. "34 years." Then he was gone in a sea of all the students who were all over him.

"34 years." she mutters to herself. "I'm escorting the Krogan Van Wilder."


	6. Chapter 6

_Hope you all are enjoying the story so far. It would be great if you would take a minute to let me know what exactly you like about it. If you want me to focus on anything more or less. Bioware owns the Mass Effect Universe. Thanks for reading!_

_Chevy99_

* * *

Liara T'soni has just finished putting the last of her clothes away in her new home. She decided she might as well considering Glyph will be busy uploading her systems for awhile longer.

Even knowing from first hand experience what Shepard is capable of now, she still can't imagine him constructing this whole space station by himself. One of the first things she wants to do when everything is settled is to get an engineer out here to inspect everything.

Looking around to make sure she has everything unpacked, Liara walks over to the window looking out of the station. Liara thinks about Samara and how Shepard use to tell her how she spent every quiet moment meditating while looking out into the void of space. She wonders if that is the future that she has signed up for. What will she be like after a thousand years hiding on this station? What will her children be like?

"We need to get rid of that picture." She say out loud to herself. Her mind's sub-conscience adds and everyone who has seen it as well. The thought doesn't faze her. If some people need to die for her to protect her children then so be it.

She turns back toward her room when she hears the beep of someone wanting to come in and see her.

"Come in." She calls out to whoever it is out there.

She watches Matt Shepard enter through the door. His smile lights up the room and chases all the ill thoughts from her mind.

She watches him in silence as he surveys all the empty boxes. "I see you're pretty much all unpacked. How are Nyra and Silia doing?"

"They are confused about what's going on, but they have settled into their new rooms with ease. Silia has been privately tutored for the last couple years now so it won't be such a shock to her, but Nyra will need to understand that she won't be going back to school. We've moved quite a few times already and don't forget even if they look like they are barely 12 in human years they are both over 20. I'm more concerned about Tessa."

"Oh. Why is that?" Shepard asks her.

"She's being chased by a Spectre. One who seems to share the Turian trait of Justice at any cost. He won't stop until he finds her, Matt. Not ever."

"Well, I guess I understand why you're worried but something tells me that Tessa is anything but worried." He tells her.

She laughs nervously at the truth in his words. "And that doesn't make me feel any better. She just started field work. You know that Spectre's are the best."

He covers the distance between them quickly, taking her hands in his, she can't help but look up into those deep blue eyes he now possesses.

"So we make sure she's ready. You use your contacts to find some merc or slaver organization, and I take her in and make sure she's combat ready. That's all we can do for her. The mistakes she will make have to be her own. We can't make them for her."

"OK Shepard." Liara answers him. She looks down at their hands as he squeezes hers in support. His closeness to her has brought up all the conflicted feelings she has about where they stand. She hears the words leave her mouth before she even realizes she spoke them.

"I noticed that even with every article of clothing I own, I didn't even fill half of the closet or dresser space. Should I expect a roommate?"

She loves the sound of his laugh, and she likes how he turned her around to hug her from behind even more.

"Do you want one?" He asks her.

"You know how I feel about you. Yes I do. The question is do you want to?" Liara answers.

"I wouldn't be doing all this if I didn't see something between us, but I think we should take some time to get settled before we jump into anything. Maybe we can take this slowly." Shepard tells her as he continues to hold her against him.

Liara can't help but smile as he squeezes her against him just a bit tighter. She closes her eyes and leans back against his chest before they are interrupted.

"I'm not interrupting anything am I?" Tessa asks as she walks in not even waiting to see if she is indeed interrupting anything.

She was about to answer her when Shepard beat her to it. "Nothing you won't have plenty of time to get use to."

"About fucking time." Tessa strolls over to the window completely ignoring them.

"Any particular reason why you're here?" Liara asks her daughter.

"Just wondering what our next move is. I'm kinda sad I didn't get a chance to meet this Spectre."

Liara feels Shepard squeeze her one more time before he pushes away to walk over to their daughter.

She watches him walk over and stand next to her staring out of the window.

"Still have your armor all ready to go?" He asks her.

"You know it, old man. Why?"

"Well your mother and I decided it was time to put your skills to the test. So she's going to find us a nice target of evil doers, and you and I will go in and bring out the shadow broker's justice." Shepard tells her.

"If you're there how exactly will that test my skills? I mean, you can kill them all with a thought." Tessa wonders.

"Oh, no. You misunderstand. I am just a simple Alliance biotic. My job will be to give support and follow the orders of my Asari Commando superior. This will be your show completely."

"You're serious?" Tessa asks him.

"I am."

"Good." Tessa answers.

Liara watches her walk back toward her and the door. Tessa takes a second to stop by her and lean over and kiss her on the cheek.

"You two have fun." She tells them on her way to the door. Liara turns back toward Shepard when she feels her daughter's hand come crashing down across her backside.

She can't help the yelp she squeals as she jumps at the contact. She never realized it until that moment but both father and daughter have the same laugh.

* * *

"Joria, you are needed up in Shepard's room. We have a bit of an emergency." Shaila calls the Turian on her comm from her spot on Ashley's sofa.

"On my way." Came her quick reply.

"What are you talking about emergency? We're on duty. What I am wearing is perfectly acceptable."

Ashley looks at herself in the mirror one more time. She's wearing black cargo pants and her under armor Lycra shirt. Her hair is brought up into a high pony tail, and she has very light make up on. She thinks she looks very professional. Unlike Shiala who's wearing a dress that shows off most of her ample green cleavage and flows down to just above her knees. Is she even wearing a bra? Ashley scowls pushing the picture of the asari out of her mind.

"We're going to a college party. You shouldn't go like you're hired security." Shiala informs her.

Ashley storms out of the bathroom and confronts Shiala sitting cross legged on her sofa.

"That's exactly what we are. We are security. Our job is to make sure Mordin makes it to Tuchanka."

"Technically we're not responsible for him until he comes aboard the Normandy." Shiala informs her.

"Oh right. I can just see how that will go over. Sorry Overlord Wrex. I know you're son died and I was there but remember he hadn't technically joined Normandy's crew yet so it's not my fault." Ashley rolled her eyes as she answered.

"What's the emergency?" Joria announces her presence as she enters through the doors.

"That." Shiala says while waving her hand over the length of Ashley's body.

"Ah."

"I thought for sure you would be dressed ready for action, but here you are in your casuals too. What is wrong with you two? We are here in an official capacity." Ashley proclaims to them.

"You can do both Ash. I mean I don't think you should go out there in whatever that is Shiala is wearing, but you can at least leave your hair down and put on a top that says you belong here. Sometimes it's better to blend in. Besides, we will be on Tuchanka soon enough. Let's have fun now since we won't be able to go anywhere without armor once we get there." Joria explains casually.

"Ugh, fine. I'm going to re-do my hair. How about you two find me a shirt you think would make me belong." Ashley informs them as she stomps her way back to the bathroom. "I'm 29 years old. Why do I care what I look like at a college party anyway? Jeez this is stupid."

"I'm 386 so shut up already. Goddess you whine more than a class full of basic biotic students." Shiala yells back at her as she looks for an outfit for her to wear.

After letting her hair back down and combing it out Ashley takes a deep breath and consigns herself to going back out there.

Then, she saw the outfit that Shiala has picked for her.

"I said shirt. Why do I have to wear shorts?" Ashley asks the asari.

"Because it's warm enough out, and you have fantastic legs." Shiala informs her.

"Joria isn't wearing shorts." Ashley instantly regrets saying it knowing what's coming next.

"And show off my chicken legs? No, thank you."

"Chicken legs?" Shiala wonders.

"Yep. Our fearless leader and I were out playing when we were kids. We were rushing up and down pretending to take a hill when she finally realizes that my legs aren't the same as her. She looks over at me in all childhood innocence and asks me why I have chicken legs." Joria retells the story.

"I've said sorry for that a billion times. Besides, that's not nearly as bad as the utters comment when I finally hit puberty." Ashley explains.

"Utters?" Shiala looks confused.

"Those things you are showing off on your breast plate. I tried finding something that I could use to get back at her. I mean I could go with the whole monkey comment but that's way overused. So I waited until she grew boobs, and then I called her a moo cow. Of course the tomboy in her hated it so I kept at it even though I had no idea what a moo cow even was." Joria explains.

"Every extra-net mail she sent me for like 4 years was addressed to Moo Cow. All because once when I was a kid I told her she had chicken legs."

"Sounds like a wonderful friendship." Shiala tells them sarcastically.

"The best." Ashley and Joria respond at the same time.

"Enough delay. We're going to be late. Just get changed Ash, and let's go. I made sure she picked something that wouldn't look too silly with a sidearm." Joria tells her.

Ashley resigns herself and starts taking off her shirt and pants. When she's done, she starts to put on the outfit when Joria starts cracking up and Shiala stops her.

"You have got to be kidding me."

Ashley turns back around toward her two friends sitting on her sofa. "Now what?" She asks.

"Those are alliance issue aren't they?" Joria asks.

She realizes that she's talking about her panties and sports bra. "So what? Now my underwear isn't good enough."

"Sorry Ash a uni-boob won't look great in the tank we picked out. You just might have to break out your good pair." Joria informs her.

"Sigh, fine. I will put on some new underwear. So why don't you two get out, and I will meet you in the CIC."

Her anxiety was starting to get the better of her when she got a message on her omni-tool.

A small message from Shiala that reads. "No one to impress here. Just a bunch of friends out having a good time. Let your hair down and relax for once."

Ashley smiles to herself sure that the asari felt her unease peaking through their bond. Pulling the rest of her clothes off she decides to take her advice.

* * *

Delessa walks through the compound with a growing sense of dread. She had eyes on this place around the clock, she doesn't understand how they can just disappear off the face of Thessia without any of them seeing. If that wasn't weird enough not only is all the staff gone, but also all of the furniture inside was gone as well. She has already gotten on the comm with all her contacts and they started to track down all the servants since Liara T'Soni and her daughters were never seen leaving the compound.

She has spent the majority of the day looking through the empty estate trying to find out how they left without ever going outside, but she knows she's running out of time. She can't wait over night to tell Octavious that the T'Soni's are gone.

Realizing she won't be able to get away as quickly as she thought she would, Delessa decides to call up her bondmate and tell her that she will be working for a few more days before she can see her.

"Hello." Her bondmate answers.

"Hey love, its Delessa." She answers.

"Oh hey, I've missed you. What's going on?"

"Nothing worth talking about. I just wanted to tell you that something has come up and I am going to need to stay on duty for a few more days."

"That's sad. I was really looking forward to seeing you next week."

"I know love. I was looking forward to it too, but I need to get back at it, OK? I will call you again tomorrow night to give you an update." Delessa tells her.

"Sounds good to me. Be safe, and I love you."

"I love you too Selina. Talk to you soon."

"Bye."

Delessa disconnected the call, deciding to do one more sweep of the property before going to see Octavious.

* * *

So this is what a college party looks like. That thought really didn't do the scene in front of her justice. Music was blaring from somewhere across the yard. What must be hundreds of young men and women were packed tightly in what seems like an old outdoor amphitheater. The only good thing about it is that the 8 foot krogan sticks out like a sore thumb.

The rest of her crew decided they were going to mingle with the students. So they all blew away into the wind.

"Asari like to dance, but the pure sexual energy in this place is unbelievable." Shiala informs her.

Ashley looks over at her. Her green facial features were flushed and the fabric of her summer dress already clings to her body. She looks incredible and Ashley finds herself smiling.

"I think you are about to get a crash course in human sexuality. I wouldn't go off anywhere alone unless you wanna fight off a bunch of young human males." Ash tells her.

Ashley takes her hand so they don't get separated and starts working through the sea of bodies toward the krogan at the base of the amphitheater. Her smile gets bigger when she sees Koran and Jack basically humping each other to the music. On their way here Jack informed her that Koran is so hopped up on antibiotics he's going to try going through the party without his suits helmet. She's gotten use to the Quarian's features from the Normandy but seeing him in this setting reminded her just how beautiful of a male he was, and Jack is loving all the jealous stares the girls are giving her.

Ashley laughs when she realizes that jealous looks or not, they are way to intimated by the tattooed biotic to go anywhere near her man. She keeps her eyes open for her other crew members, but she doesn't see them.

When they finally reach the base of the yard she realizes just what the Krogans faded t shirt says.

WHO FARTED

In big black letters across the front of his green t shirt. The shirt goes well with the faded, torn blue jeans he wears.

She can tell he's been drinking awhile already as his boisterous voice is slurred and his massive frame is wobbly at best. When he notices her there, he finishes his large plastic cup in one large swallow and heads toward the two of them.

"Glad you two could make it. Can I get you both something to drink? I would offer you the ryncol, but I've seen what it does to the human and asari digestive and nervous systems. How about some beer?

"No. I don't think" Ashley starts to answer before Shiala interrupts her.

"We would love some, thanks."

"Heh, Heh, good. Kevin" The big krogan howls. Ashley watches as a smallish human boy with sandy red hair comes walking toward them.

"What's up, Mordin?" The human asks.

"Meet Ashley and Shiala." The krogan introduces them.

"Nice to meet you." Kevin says to them never lifting his eyes off his shoes.

"Now Kevin we've talked about this. How will you ever let a girl know how amazing that mind of yours is if you don't talk to them? Asari in particular love smart guys right Shiala?"

"Oh for sure. Especially such a cute one." Shiala answers leaning down a bit and pushing her chest out while smiling at the uncomfortable human.

Ashley tries hard not to laugh when he finally lifts his eyes at her only to see those things right in his face. Needless to say when he finally gets an eye full of the twins his face reddens to the shade of pizza sauce.

"Heh, heh good man. Why don't you get the ladies a couple beers and come back." Mordin tells him slapping him on the back.

Kevin takes one last look at Shiala's tits before running off to get the drinks.

"Protege of yours?" Ashley asks.

"Believe it or not, he's the human version of me. I thought when I first came here that your species would appreciate intelligence more than the krogan did. I was disappointed to find that wasn't the case. Sure you don't count everything as whoever is the strongest, but the disconnect is still there. For humans it's just the prettiest, or the most athletic. The difference is that a krogan will look at you as useless if you're not some great warrior. Humans are just intimidated by those smarter than them. Which when I finally learned that made me laugh for hours. I've spent the last 20 years trying to get my fellow students to understand that they hold the keys to your races future in their hands, just as I hold mine in mine."

"That's...surprisingly deep from someone wearing a who farted t shirt." Ashley says to him not quite sure if she believes it.

"Ha. Don't let the fashion choice fool you. The galaxy will shake from my accomplishments. I just don't see anything wrong with having fun while I do it. Besides, it's not often where I can just be myself. Surely you of all people understand that." Mordin explains to her.

"Goddess if she did. You have no idea how hard it is to get her to have any fun." Shiala proclaims.

Ashley just rolls her eyes at her. "I'm not that bad."

"You complained today because you couldn't wear alliance issue panties." Shiala reminds her.

"Umm...I have the...umm drinks." Kevin stuttered at the mention of woman's underwear while he held up the two drinks.

Shiala takes them from him, handing Ashley her beer. "Come on. I want to dance, and I think you're the perfect guy to take me." Shiala informs Kevin before leading him away toward the sea of partying humans. "Explain to her why she needs to relax will you please." Shiala asks Mordin before blending in with the rest of the dancers.

Ashley watches Mordin watch as Shiala and Kevin start dancing and it's quickly becoming obvious the asari is going to make sure he has the best time of his life.

"I hope he doesn't cum in his pants." Mordin sighs before turning his attention to Ashley.

"So what does a spectre do for fun? Should we find you someone to kill? Or maybe some other physical activity? Ever been with a krogan?"

Taking a long drink of her beer in a Solo cup, Ashley thinks about how to answer him when an unmistakable bellow stops everything in its tracks.

"I heard there was a Krogan here?"

Her eyes quickly found Grunt decked out in full armor standing where they entered the amphitheater.

"And I heard there was a krogan warlord, but all I see is an overgrown sheepdog." Mordin shouts back at him.

Grunt has a much easier time getting down to the base than Shiala and she did. She's never seen humans move so fast out of the way. I guess it helps being an 800 pound krogan.

All eyes were on the two massive krogan standing eye to eye staring at each other. Ashley decides to break the ice.

"So does this mean you two are best buds?"

"Something like that." Grunt informs her still staring at the smaller Mordin. "Do you still remember what I taught you or have these humans made you weak."

"I remember enough. I see I'm still not trusted to finish things on my own. Can't take my own rite of passage. Just give me a spectre so I don't embarrass the great Wrex. Today isn't about that though, so either drink with me or get the fuck out of here." Mordin explains to him not backing down.

"Heh, heh. Good man. Where's the Ryncol? It's time to get fucked up. What do you say Shepard? We can lean on each other." Grunt laughs.

"That is sounding better and better by the second. Let's get wasted." Ashley informs them.

So they did.

* * *

Delessa has no idea what she's going to tell Octavious. They are just gone. She wouldn't believe it if she didn't witness it herself. She's been going over and over things in her head all the way to his apartment complex. Now that she's here, she has been sitting in her shuttle for several minutes trying to think up an excuse. The Turian has always been beyond unpredictable. After several minutes she figures she might as well get it over with. What's the worst thing he can do?

A few minutes later she was being lead into his apartment. He was wearing his casual suit. Navy blue with red trim. No weapons on his person. Delessa takes a couple deep breaths.

"You said you wanted to talk to me." Octavious asks her taking a seat in one of the leather chairs in his living room.

"I don't know how to say this but the T'Soni's are gone. Their whole complex is emptied out, and the servants are on the wind. I've been able to chase two down already, and they both gave the same story. They were released with a heavy severance package the day you went and talked with Liara. I don't know how they did it Octavious. I had eyes on that building every second of every day."

"You had eyes yet somehow they disappeared into the ether. So which exactly do you want me to believe? That you are crazy or incompetent? It has to be one or the other." Octavious explains to her.

"It doesn't matter. I will find them. I just wanted you to know the situation." She tells him turning around to leave.

"I'm afraid that won't be necessary." Octavious tells her getting up out of his seat.

"What do you mean? Are you firing me?" Delessa asks confused.

Octavious just chuckles. "I guess you could say that after a fashion."

She takes a couple steps back toward the door.

"You look nervous Delessa. Do I make you nervous?" He asks her.

"No, but I'm not stupid. So explain what you meant." Delessa tells him.

"Isn't it obvious? I mean I am going to kill you." Octavious tells her matter of factually.

Delessa scowls at him. "I'm an asari commando and you're an unarmed turian. How exactly do you plan on doing that?"

"Oh that's right, I forgot. The great asari and your wonderful biotics. I guess I will just have to hope I get lucky with my blade here."

Delessa watches him pull a foot long serrated blade out of its holster. "Most people just use omni blades now, but I guess I just love the feel of cold steel in my hand."

She makes her decision in the blink of an eye. Deciding against engaging him, she turns and makes a break for the door. Bringing up her omni-tool she tries overriding the locks but to no avail. She can hear him taunting her from across the room.

"What? can't a great asari override a simple lock? Whatever will you do now?"

She can hear him dragging the knife against the leather toward her. She has no choice but to turn around and face him.

"I will kill you if you make me." She tells him with more confidence then she feels.

"I'm about to make you." She watches as he slowly walks toward her. Realizing he's not playing some sick mind game, she decides to try and get the upper hand. She throws a warp at him to work on any built in shields he might have.

She watches as the ball swooshes out of her hand and towards him and then just dies when it makes its impact. He laughs at her. Straight out laughs.

"Oh no. Now what?" He taunts her as he continues to walk so slowly toward her.

She tries everything she knows, but all her biotics just die like he's immune. She screams her frustration hoping someone will hear her.

He sneers at her. "Your cries won't be heard I'm afraid. You will die alone and broken. Your birthright useless. Your body lacking. Come. It's time."

Her scream this time is a war cry and she launches herself at him. She watches the knife in his right hand as she tries to engage him with a low kick. He blocks her kick with his leg moving faster than she thought turians could. She immediately knows that he could stab her with the knife, but instead he backhands her across the face.

She cries out as her blood fills her mouth. She can feel teeth loosened in her head, and she pushes a couple out and spits them out. Nobody can hit that hard without biotics, but he doesn't have any of the blue glow surrounding him. She tries back up to give herself space, but she doesn't see the night stand and she goes crashing over it onto the floor.

He's standing above her looking down with that same scowl on his face. Then, he kicks her. She doesn't recognize it at first but the kick threw her across the room. Her ribs are on fire, and she's having a hard time breathing. She feels tears flowing down her face and she can't stop them.

"Please." She wheezes.

"They always beg. Pathetic."

His foot connects again this time on her stomach forcing her onto her back. His eyes are black in her blurry vision. He stands over her with a foot on either side. She wills all the biotic potential she can muster in her legs and sends up between his. Laughing at her again he blocks her kick by just turning toward the side. Again her biotics just died on impact.

"Stupid bitches never learn." The wind rushes out of her again as his knee connects with her solar plexus. Coughing up blood, she tries to bring up her hands to defend herself. He casually swats them away before bring up the knife along her face. She feels the cold steel running gently across her cheek and she freezes. Begging the goddess or anyone listening to save her. The tears are pouring down her cheeks whether from pain or fear she doesn't know anymore.

The knife finds its way down her neck, then she feels the material of her shirt being cut away. Realizing she can't stop him, she just lays there as he cuts away her shirt until her breasts are bared. The feel of the knife against her soft flesh sends shivers along her spine.

"It's a shame I don't have the time to properly enjoy this. You're body would be quite the canvas." He's still taunting her.

Delessa screams as the blade cuts in along her stomach up between her breasts. She can feel her own warm blood rushing down her body pooling along her sides. As her breathing gets weaker and she accepts her fate, her thoughts turn toward her mate and all the things she won't ever be able to do again. She closes her eyes and pray's that peace will come to her.

"Such a pity. I could have days of fun with you." The last words she hears before she feels the knife plunge into her heart. Delessa gasps one more time, as she opens up her eyes to stare at the murder weapon and the person who killed her. She wants to say something, anything so he doesn't get the last word, but her lungs aren't working and her mouth is filled with her own blood. So she does the only thing she can do. She dies.


	7. Chapter 7

_Hey everyone really sorry for the wait. Took a bit to get this one hemmed out. Hope you all like it. A little disclaimer the last part of this chapter is a bit heavy on the sexual dialogue. Like even more than normal for me sooooo if your against that kind of thing you may want to skim. Bioware owns all. Let me know what you think! Reviews are like bowties: Cool!_

* * *

So they did.

Grunt immediately declared that beer wasn't good enough for tonight. His bellow echoes through the whole party.

"Jacccccccck!"

Ashley watches as Koran and the biotic stop dry humping each other long enough to work their way down toward the two krogan and herself.

"What do you want, Grunt?" Jack asks taking the shot of Ryncol out of his hand and downing it in one gulp.

"Princess here isn't going to be nursing that beer all night while the rest of us get wasted. I saw you with something hard earlier. Go get some for her."

Ashley stands there with her arms crossed nursing the beer while Jack looks from Grunt over to her and then back to Grunt. Jack laughs loudly as she turns and starts walking away. Ashley hears her reply as she distances herself from the group, "This is going to turn out to be a fun night."

Ashley looks over at Koran who stayed behind. Seeing how the Quarian isn't drinking anything himself, she thinks she has found an out for herself.

"How come you don't have to drink?" She asks him.

Even Koran laughs at her seeing through her idea, "Nice try, but I can't drink human or krogan liquor. You have no excuse. You might as well just go along with them."

"Actually, we have you covered as well." Ashley looks back and sees Doc coming down with Joria and Sprocket in tow.

Joria holds up the bottle and smiles at her fellow dextro. "Turian brandy, triple filtered."

Ashley smiles as Jack makes her way back down with some dark foreboding bottle in her hand, and she laughs out loud when she realizes Jack is using her 'don't fuck with me' face to clear room for Dojin to wobble down in his suit after her. She steals a glance over at Shiala dancing with Kevin, her back to the young man and her backside pressed firmly against him. It seems that Asari really do like to dance.

Ashley takes her eyes off of Shiala back toward her crew. Since both Jar Dim and Danea are on duty on the Normandy, it seems the rest of them have gathered down here together. As the drinks are poured into their plastic red cups and passed out, Grunt lets everyone know just what the mission for tonight is going to be.

He holds up his drink and waits for the rest of them to follow suit. When they all join him in the toast he says, "Tuchanka allows for no parties, so for tonight we drink to Thresher Maws." Then he downs his shot.

Mordin immediately continues the toast, "fine human titties." and he drinks his ryncol as well.

Jack goes next, "the next motherfucker who checks out my ass getting his face kicked the fuck in."

To which Koran laughs and continues with "Not being the next motherfucker who checks out her ass."

Around the circle the rest of them add their toasts and drinks their shots:

Joria goes next, "a night of fun among friends."

Then Dojin, "Nobody stepping on me tonight."

Doc adds, "being semi-sober when one of you dumbs make me do surgery tonight."

All eyes turn on her and Ashley thinks for a second on what she wants to say, "a successful, safe mission." Then she downs her drink as well.

"I can't believe you didn't wait for us." Shiala yells at them as her and Kevin walk over. She hands the human a shot that Mordin poured for them. "Well what's it going to be, sexy?"

Ashley joins everyone in looking at the red faced young man. He calmly holds up his cup, "an internship that will change the future of the galaxy."

Shiala smiles at him and then looks directly at Ashley. Of course the wind would decide to pick up at this moment. The dress clings even tighter across her curves, and Ashley notices the beads of sweat sliding down the smooth part of her neck down between her breasts. Her attention is brought back up to Shiala's face when she hears her toast, "Feelings founded, and fantasies fulfilled."

All of them cheer after they all make their toasts and laugh among themselves, but Shiala's eyes never leave hers. They just stare directly into her. She knows Shiala doesn't need her bond to know her feelings at that moment.

Her whole brain screams the same thought.

I am not a lesbian.

* * *

"GET UP!" Tessa shouts again over the weapon fire at her father. She's starting to doubt their just teleport in there blind mission plan. Her mother had wasted no time finding them a suitable slavery outpost, and the two of them had rushed in there guns blazing. That was ten minutes ago though, and now they have barely entered the cargo bay of the complex and Shepard is just laying there on his ass while she tries not to get flanked from an elevated position.

She looks over again at him lying prone on the floor, his black body armor is singed in spots but doesn't look like its been to compromised. Not to mention the fact that he's fucking invincible.

Shots fire off again against her cover, and she has to duck her head to keep from taking more hits. She grunts another expletive and sends yet another singularity up onto the right side walkway trying to prevent the slavers from working around her flank to where they can hit her. She sees a couple of them working through her biotic attack so she leans back against her cover and throws her pistol over her cover and takes them both out. While she does that though they peg her arm and helmet and drop her barrier again.

"Fuck!" She screams falling back into cover before they can do any real damage.

"By the Goddess you useless bastard, GET UP!" She screams into her comm.

"I got hit with a rocket launcher." His answer comes back over the comm.

"What's your point? I know you're not hurt." Tessa growls at him while sending another singularity onto the opposite walkway to discourage yet more slavers from getting at her.

"The whole point of this is to train you to be able to handle these situations." He tells her matter of factly, "so if you order your squad mate to an advanced position, you better make sure he doesn't get hit with a rocket launcher."

"Goddess." Tessa mutters again as she hears the slavers activate their heavy mechs. She figures that's why they aren't rushing them, better to have the mech attack to limit causalities. "They are bringing in the heavy's." She tells him starting to panic.

"Then you better get me some medi-gel so I can help."

"BUT YOU AREN'T HURT!" She screams at him again.

"I got hit with a rocket launcher." He calmly tells her again.

"I don't" Tessa starts to reply before he interrupts her.

"Twice."

"Mother Fucker!" She curses one more time before trying to scoot her way over to him. The answering fire pushes her back behind her cover again.

"I thought you didn't care about that?" Shepard tells her still laying there uselessly on his ass.

"Fucking Goddess don't bring up that shit right now. What is wrong with you?"

A cannon blast from the mech crashes against her cover. Laying down in cover allows her to see up as the slavers slowly start to flank her. Her pistol ends them both in two well placed head shots. Frantically thinking what to do, her cover is again rocked by a rocket blast. She can hear the mech closing in on them.

"It's a good thing that meter thick metal wall in the middle of the floor for no reason is indestructible isn't it?" Shepard relays yet another useless comment through their comms.

"I need your help here, but I can't get to you. Just get up." Tessa pleads with him.

"I guess that means you will have to remotely access my suit and give me some of your medi-gel."

"But I can actually get hurt here! Goddess, I hate you right now."

"That mech is getting awfully close, and I don't feel like getting stepped on."

"Fine, but if I get hurt, I'm so telling mother." Tessa growls at him as she punches the commands into her omni-tool. She sighs as her medi-gel counter goes down to 1 as she sends it over to Shepard's suit.

Tessa's aggravation hits an all time high when he actually sighs like it does him a bit of good, before he hops up and rushes over into the cover she ordered him to those minutes ago. She hears him fire a couple times and sees the outline of his blue biotic bursts from behind her cover.

"I took out my flank. You should probably get yours so we can focus on the mech."

Rolling her eyes, she does as he suggests setting herself back into cover closer to the wall away from the mech.

"Warp it's shields. Then, focus on pistol fire to finish it off as quickly as possible." She orders him.

"Yes, Ma'am." He replies as they get to work on the mech.

The mech keeps focus on her allowing him to make quick work of it while she pops in and out of cover to help as much as she can. Once the mech is taken care of, the rest of the slavers fall quickly enough. Even better, once the fighting is done, Tessa realizes they saved close to 200 souls from a life of slavery. She makes the call into the closest military base asking them to pick up the captives while Shepard walks up beside her.

"Not too bad for a first mission, but we need to work on you giving orders to get hit by rocket launchers."

"I'm sorry. I didn't think you were a complete moron who would rush out as soon as I ordered it, head first into a rocket launcher."

"Twice." He answers her holding up two fingers in case she didn't hear him. Finally having enough, she just shakes her head at him and walks away toward the hanger bay. Then, she realizes he's her way off this rock. So, she slouches her shoulders in defeat and turns to wait on him to tell her it's time to go.

* * *

The shots came fast and hard after that. The night seems to get hotter and the music louder and better. Ashley finds herself with a very nice buzz dancing with random strangers. None of the students can hold her attention for very long though so she just continues to work her way though the crowd. Eventually she finds her way over to where Kevin is propped up against a pillar in the yard. She smiles when she sees who he's watching. Shiala is still out there dancing in a sea of human hormones. Taking a second to fill her cup from the keg, she stops next to the young human.

"She is mesmerizing, isn't she?" Ashley asks him. She didn't hear his answer because at that moment she hears another krogan battle cry.

"Challenge accepted!"

Ashley looks over to see it's Mordin this time, and he actually head butted Grunt. "Oh now what." She moans making her way over to her two favorite krogan.

"Heh, heh, heh time to see what you're made of whelp." Grunt answers the challenge.

Ashley walks up to the doc who is watching the exchange with only mild horror. She catches the woman's eyes and asks, "Do I even want to know?"

"Seems your newest crew member has challenged Grunt to some kind of contest. I'm a bit too drunk to completely understand exactly what's going on though so I really hope they don't need me to put them back together."

"It's actually a team competition." Joria answers her.

"What kind?" Ashley asks now genuinely curious.

"Mordin and Grunt were comparing tail sizes or whatever krogan males do when Mordin got this great idea to see who was a better team, the thinkers or the muscle."

"What does that mean?"Ashley wonders.

"Well it seems that Mordin and Koran are going to take on Jack and Grunt. Koran and Jack will get on their respected krogans shoulders and whoever can knock them off wins. Biotics and tech powers are allowed."

Ashley processes that information, and somewhere in her alcohol addled mind it sounds like a wonderful idea. The combatants are already getting onto their respective mounts. She actually laughs out loud at that thought. Ashley thinks about inviting Shiala to go with her when she gets an even better idea.

She calls out to her opponents before they get to into battle. "Hey losers!"

She waits until they all turn toward her, and then when she has their attention, she tells them what she has in mind. Wrapping her arm around his shoulder she yells, "Me and Kevin have winner." Looking over at her partner she realizes he doesn't show the same giddy excitement she does.

"What?" he asks her in a panic. "I don't even think I could carry you."

Laughing at him, she answers, "not to worry. I'm going to be carrying you, and we are totally gonna kick their ass. Then, when everyone sees what a badass you are, you will be able to hook up with any girl here that you want to."

Her laughing gets louder when he mutters his reply, "Sounds wonderful. Now, all I have to do is become a badass."

All attention was then turned onto the four combatants. Grunt and Mordin both have that sadistic smile that krogan get when they are about to get in a fight. Somehow Jack can make the same smile, while Koran seems to be the only one taking this seriously. Jack notices it too since she decides to mock him.

"Why so serious?" She asks while flexing her muscles and pulling in and releasing her biotic power.

"Just thinking about how sexy you will look when you land face first, ass up on the floor in a couple minutes." He taunts right back at her.

"You wish pretty boy, but fine. If you win, I will get as you said 'face first, ass up' for you later too, but if I win you get inked with whatever I want, wherever I want."

"Great Kalros teats, you soft species talk too much." Grunt replies.

"Finally you say something worthwhile. Time to nut up or shut up." Mordin answers him.

And so the fight was on, and it was a duesy. Ashley didn't realize Mordin was a tech specialist, but it became obvious when he deployed a rocket drone. Koran immediately cloaked both of them after Mordin used his powers while they both cooled down. It was a good strategy if it was anyone other than Jack and Grunt, but the krogan just charged the drone and destroyed it with a quick shoulder block. While he did that Jack flipped herself around so her crotch was in Grunt's face. She held onto him tightly with her legs and one arm while she looked for that slight difference between what's real and what's camouflage. When she sees it, she sends a shock wave into their opponents.

The wave hits and uncloaks them while they stagger back from the biotic attack. Grunt takes the opportunity to rush into them while Jack wraps herself into a biotic coil just waiting to strike. Realizing he has no way to help the Krogan holding him, Koran launches an incinerate right at Jack's face trying to distract her. Jack is smarter that that though and just lets her barrier absorb it as the two krogan crash together.

It seems Mordin had an idea himself though since he brought up a tech armor right before Grunt charged into him destroying the armor and creating a blast that separates them both. Mordin seizes the opportunity presented and kicks the weak point behind a krogan's knee sending Grunt down to his knees. Jack doesn't waste any time retaliating with all the biotic fury she can summon. Concentrating on Mordin's face she unleashes punch after punch until Ashley sees blood start to pour out of the krogan's face. Koran wasn't just sitting there idol, he was waiting until Jack opened herself up. He uses that opening to send a tech blast right into the humans ribs. Jack's scream is piercing, but she somehow clings to Grunt. Realizing they are losing he musters his strength and rushes into the other krogans stomach pushing all four of them back as they all struggled to get the advantage back on their side.

Ashley steals a quick glimpse away from the action to look at Kevin's face and his horrified reaction is exactly what she wanted to see.

"Awesome isn't it?" She asks him. "I can't wait for our turn."

He just looks at her like she's out of her damn mind.

As with most fights like this where it's all a matter of advantage it was over as quick as it started. Jack just happened to be the better fighter so as Mordin and Grunt fought for leverage Jack landed one good biotic punch that sent Koran tumbling off. The crowd cheered the winners, and Jack and Grunt celebrated by taunting their opponents. Ashley was determined that their celebration would be short lived.

She turns to her partner and grabs him by the face with both hands, bringing their faces within inches of each other. Whispering so just he can hear her, she tells him exactly what to do. He just dumbly nods at her that he understands, and she gives him her best this is going to be amazing smile. She laughs as she rubs his hair and leads him out to where both Jack and Grunt are waiting for them.

She knows they will try getting in Kevin's head so she decides not to let them have the chance.

"I know you must be tired from that tough battle so I understand if you two don't want to get your asses kicked by a couple humans."

Knowing he will need a bit of help to rise to the occasion, Ashley takes a moment to introduce him to all the spectators. "Two of the greatest warriors this galaxy has ever known stand before you." She starts her speech waving dramatically at her opponents while they get ready for the battle to come. "People who were there defending us with Commander Shepard himself from the Reapers and their agents. The survivors and heroes of countless battles and wars, but" she emphasizes the but in her speech raising her voice dramatically as she brings everyone's attention from the very intimidating Jack and Grunt to Kevin. "tonight all that will mean nothing. Tonight, one of your very own, a regular guy who's lived and studied with all of you, will show them just how much of a fucking badass a beaver from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology can be."

The roar of the crowd brings her adrenaline filled blood rushing through her veins. Ashley Shepard lives for this. She grabs Kevin's shoulders roughing focusing his attention back on her. "There are a lot of panties out there right now getting ready to drop. You ready for this?"

His reply is everything she hopes it to be. "I have no idea, but let's do this." His smile is just the right amount of crazy one needs when facing off against two of the most accomplished killers ever. She doesn't waste anymore time on speeches or dramatic flair. She turns around and kneels a bit so he can jump up on her shoulders. Her biotics flare and along with her genetic enhancements, it makes him weigh little to nothing. She steals a glance at Shiala and the green skinned asari nods back at her. She lowers the barriers she has been developing to keep their minds and emotions as separate as they can be. She feels her presence right away as she adds her biotic power to her own. She sends a quick thought out as she slowly walks in a circle around their opponents.

"I hope this works."

"As long as he doesn't resist the meld, it will work. Are you sure he's ready for it?"

"As far as one can be, I guess. OK enough screwing around, let's shock the hell out of those two."

Grunt makes the first move as he charges in, Ashley wanted to wait for Jack's biotic attack as well, but it seems like one isn't coming. She biotically charges away from their attack at the last minute. Her charge ends a flew feet to the side and she quickly turns around and engages their opponents with a nova. She realizes they haven't started the meld too late as Kevin tightens his legs around her and wraps an arm around her face. The nova goes off dropping both of their shields, and she backs away figuring they will counterattack while they figure her barrier is down. The attack comes biotically from Jack and Ashley doesn't even need to mentally say anything before Shiala uses her biotics to reenforce her barrier. Jack's throw is absorbed by her barrier and she smiles wickedly at the biotic and her look of confusion. It probably isn't very often that the biotic goes up against someone more powerful than herself. She feels more than sees Shiala initiate the meld with Kevin, and his very unfamiliar mind joins theirs in a very unique experience.

"Welcome to the party, sexy." Shiala tells him through the bond.

"God, I can feel everything both of you are feeling and thinking, this is so intense." Kevin tells them in awe.

"Head in the game slugger." Ashley reminds him as Grunt reengages her. Ashley just uses her own biotics to stay out of their attack range. Using her barrier against any ranged attack Jack throws at them.

"We will probably only get one shot at this, you sure you know what to do?" Ashley asks her partner while keeping a distance from the Grunt/Jack team. Making sure to return their biotic attacks to keep the crowd engaged.

"Wait until you use the same attack you used at the beginning. Once I see their barriers are gone, send out duel throws using Shiala's power. I got it."

When Ashley is sure the plan is in place she reengages Grunt. Waiting until he charges again she charges away just like last time. They find them much quicker this time making it seem they were ready for this move. Grunt tries to cover the ground between them before she can fully launch her nova attack but he's just a bit to slow. Ashley leaps into the air and slams down her fist into the ground releasing all the biotic power she has stored up into her attack. The nova successfully staggers them and lowers their barriers and armor again. Kevin wastes no time gathering all the biotic power he can muster just like he's felt Shiala and Ashley do throughout the fight. He sends his duel throws attack directing toward Jack's chest. They find their mark. Somehow she manages to hang onto the back of grunt's armor after the first one, but the second right behind it is her undoing. Ashley feels Kevin's exhilaration as they watch the tattooed biotic tumble from the krogan ending up in the dirt.

She lets Kevin down as Shiala ends the meld. She watches the asari jumping and cheering them on as she rushes over and jumps into Kevin's arms giving the very shocked human a big kiss. Shiala keeps their bond open so Ashley can hear her tell the man to start looking for which girl he wants to take home tonight. Ashley smiles, glad that Shiala isn't leading him on.

For herself, Ashley walks over to the shocked Jack who's face is still planted in the dirt. Remembering what Koran said, she yells his name to get his attention.

Walking up next to Jack she yells over to the Quarian, "Face down, ass up right?" She sees him return her smile as Ashley sends a hard smack down across the other human biotics ass.

Jack just rolls over and smiles at her. "Fuck you, cheater."

"Heh, heh, we should have known those two would have had something up their sleeves. Good move, Shepard." Grunt congratulates her.

Ashley returns his smile realizes that he's talking about her and Shiala, not her and Kevin.

"Ha! That was great. Good to see someone put those two in their places." Mordin tells her handing her a drink.

Ashley takes it without thinking and downing it in one gulp. Her body still coursing with adrenaline, it takes a minute for her to realize she just drank a double shot of ryncol. The party starts back up around them as everyone moves in to congratulate the victors. The drink is already pounding inside Ashley's head when Shiala finally makes her way over to her.

Ashley wasn't prepared for the kiss that Shiala gives her. It was quick and nice and thankfully didn't incite any sexual feelings with the asari. Laughing to herself she mutters under her breath, "See totally not a lesbian."

* * *

Octavious sits calmly at his desk while the cleanup crew silently goes about cleaning up the mess of the night's earlier activities. He made sure to send a message to Delessa's mate telling her of her lover's fate. Although, of course, he left out exactly what had transpired. People die all the time in the service of Spectres so one asari's death won't raise suspicion. Of course the way she died would, which is why he told her that her body was lost in the attack. Octavious has just finished sending a very convincing report to the counsel about said attack. A message alert on his monitor snaps his attention away from the remains of his last assistant back toward business. The call is from his Liaison on Illium.

He answers the call, "Octavious."

"The tech altered voice answers him, "I got a message saying the trail went cold."

"Small setback has occurred. The problem has already been dealt with. I just wanted to inform you that Liara T'Soni has been lost. I will be heading out your way tomorrow to see if I can find another way to get the information you requested. I am requesting a tracer be put on all T'Soni employee's on Illium. Discreetly of course."

"I will do as you ask. The five look forward to seeing you again Octavious. It has been too long." With that the caller ends the transmission.

With that out of the way he decides to do the last of his packing while the apartment is cleaned up. He will, of course, need to employ a new assistant once he gets to Illium. Thinking about who he should employ Octavious sets about his business over the sound of the lasers cutting through flesh.

* * *

The rest of the party is a blur of drinking, dancing and slurred conversations with guys trying to get in her pants. Ashley knows she will be lucky if she remembers any of this night at all. Ryncol fucks humans up horribly.

She smiles to herself when she sees Kevin off to the side tongue deep in some blonde's mouth. Ashley can feel the heat rise in her own body at all the attractive people dancing and moving around her. Her eyes settle on Shiala right when Mordin walks up from behind her.

"So what's the deal with the two of you?" He asks her.

Ashley looks over at him confused, "What do you mean?"

"I watched your fight too, you know. I know that was her biotic power you were using, and I saw her eyes turn black so she was melding with someone. What's up with you?"

"We are very complicated." Shiala answers for her as she walks over.

"What's complicated about it?" Mordin asks.

Shiala answers the same thing she does at the same time. "I am not a lesbian."

This makes Mordin crack up. Once he has recovered enough to speak he says, "Well my extranet history proves you must be the only human woman who isn't a lesbian."

Ashley just scowls at him.

"Of course she doesn't realize yet that being straight has nothing to do with human/asari relationships." Shiala tells Mordin.

"Well why don't you show her." He advises.

Somewhere in her messed up head that sounded like a wonderful idea to her, so she encouraged it. "Yeah, why don't you?"

"Really? You want me to here?" Shiala tells her.

"Go for it. We already kissed, and I didn't feel anything." Ashley tells her full of confidence.

"If you insist." Shiala grabs her waist and pulls her into a kiss. It's hard and passionate and incredible. For once, Ashley doesn't try to break it or fight. She just gives herself over to the feeling of being kissed.

Once Shiala is satisfied, she pulls away smiling like she won. Ashley smiles back, "See, you're a great kisser, but I am not a lesbian."

Shiala's smile turns cocky, "which is why it means nothing whether you're straight or gay because I am not human. That would be a kiss you would share with a human woman. This is what a kiss with me feels like."

She kisses her again, this time not holding anything back. It wasn't a matter of hand placement or tongues. It wasn't a matter of attractiveness or sexual orientation. The kiss wasn't two lips meeting or two bodies pressed together. Shiala forcefully dropped all barriers between them. Ashley couldn't help but take a sharp intake of breath when she felt herself laid bare to the asari kissing her. Her eyes were closed so she couldn't see the tell tale black eyes of a meld, but she has no doubt that that is exactly what's happening. Her body and Shiala's stop existing separately. She feels everything the asari feels and knows that Shiala feels everything she does. She feels Shiala's thoughts and desires and she answers each one as soon as it becomes known. She feels Shiala's mind caress over her existence like a lover's hand.

Her voice softly speaking within the walls of her mind. "This is what a normal relationship with an asari starts as. The possibilities are endless and our lifetimes ensure a millennia to learn our lovers every secret want and fantasy. I need no such time frame though, since I have been in your head constantly for the past 2 years. I already know your every fantasy, your every insecurity, and your every desire. You wanna know why it doesn't matter if you're a lesbian or not. Well, here is your answer."

Ashley will never know how to describe what happens next. One minute she's just feeling how wonderful it is to be kissed and do the kissing. She feels the joy of not one but two and it doubles the intensity. Then Shiala attacks every nerve ending, every erogenous zone she has. She feels Shiala's hands and mouth on her breasts even though she knows she isn't really touching her there. She doesn't stop there though. She truly holds nothing back as Ashley feels her phantom lips and fingers against her clit and pussy. Ashley cries out against Shiala's mouth as she is sent spiraling down a mountain of orgasm after fucking orgasm. Real and imagined have no meaning in this bond. If someone were to ask her what was real at the moment she would have no idea. She doesn't even care that she's having multiple orgasms in the middle of a party. Shiala continues her assault on all Ashley's senses until she is on the verge of passing out.

Ashley cries out in frustration as Shiala breaks the bond and pulls away from her. Nobody bothers to catch her as her knees crumble beneath her. Ashley is left panting and weak and watching Shiala's shapely ass walk away from her.

Mordin's laugh breaks through the fog inside her head. "Heh, guess that proved her point after all."

Ashley just sits there panting. Her heartbeat is a billion times a minute, every nerve ending she has is heightened and played like a fiddle. She feels the hardness and soreness of her nipples. Her every thought is of Shiala and what she wants to do to her in return. The biggest giveaway though is the absolute drenching of her panties. Not having the strength or sobriety to even move she just mutters what she knows for sure now.

"I am such a lesbian."


	8. Chapter 8

_Hey all really sorry for the long delay. Hopefully it won't happen again. I wanted to thank 10tonsoffun for the shout out and the great reviews. He has a fun story centered around Jack and the Ascension project for those Jack fans out there. Anyway this chapter is really just moving the story along as we slowly get into the meat of things. I hope you like it. It's always fun when I can write actual Mass Effect characters and Garrus is one of my favorites. As always Bioware owns Mass Effect. Thanks everyone. Chevy99_

* * *

It's amazing how much better things get with a pair of alliance casuals and a power pony tail. Ashley was hoping with the amount of alcohol she drank last night she wouldn't remember just what occurred on that campus. Sadly she remembers everything. Nothing really bad happened, it was just nice to let her hair down a bit with her crew. She just knows that everyone on the ship already knows what happened, and she's going to spend the day getting side ways looks and hearing giggles every time she walks away. Oh well. What can you do?

"Lt. Sopals, how are we progressing so far?" Ashley asks her pilot over the intercom.

"Right on schedule, Captain. We left Earth's orbit at 0600 standard alliance time just like you asked. I've plotted us on a direct route to Tuchanka, and we should arrive in about 18 more hours."

"How's she flying?" Ashley asks.

"Honestly, she's perfect. I've never had this much power and grace at my finger tips. It almost makes me want to take her into combat. Almost." Her pilot answers her. Ash can hear the pride in her voice.

"Well keep me informed. I will be heading down to check on our guests if you need me." Ashley tells her.

"Yes Ma'am."

A quick elevator trip down and Ashley joins Jar Dim and Mordin in the science lab.

"Anything interesting to share?" Ash asks the Salarian as he sits at his desk scanning data pad after data pad.

"No. No. Nothing worth sharing. Just checking Tuchanka air quality for Zadera. Wanted me to check Koran's suit settings against his data drives. Air quality is so poor makes suit use required. Can survive short periods of exposure if diagnostics done right." Jar Dim explains to her.

"Will he be combat ready?" Ashley wonders.

"Ah, yes. Geth data correct, just double checking."

"And what are you up too over there?" Ash asks the Krogan sitting awkwardly over a computer station.

"Making sure my old man has my lab set up the way I asked. I have to make sure Kevin has all those luxuries you humans need to get any work done." Mordin explains to her while he watches his overhead.

"Wait. Isn't this human helping you pass some trial so you can even do all those great things you want to do?" Ashley asks him pointing at herself.

"Ha!" Mordin laughs. "Don't read too much into the politics. While it's true I would have trouble if I were a normal Krogan with my combat skills, my father and the rest of them will quickly learn that intelligence isn't just something to envy in other species. Actually, with that in mind I have a gift for you. Think of it as a thank you."

"Oh? What is it?" Ashley asks while watching him get up and walk over to the pile of canisters along the lab bulkhead. She watches curiously as he picks up one of the larger containers and carries it over to the table she's leaning against.

"A little secret I cooked up." Mordin answers her as he unlocks the case. He reaches in and starts pulling out some kind of machine. "I call her the Asshander." Ashley watches him flick a couple buttons or switches on the weapon before he hands it to her.

"Nice name, but what exactly does it do?" She asks while she handles the weapon. Getting use to its weight in her hands.

"What do you think she does? She hands people their asses." Mordin smiles at her with that stupid Krogan grin.

"Well as much as I appreciate all the scientific lingo how about you explain it to me in a way I will know how to use her." Ashley asks sarcastically.

Mordin takes the weapon back from her and shows her how to use it.

"Pretty simple really. She fires 3 shells simultaneously that penetrate any armor or shielding and attach to whatever it is you are aiming at. Anything organic and it will penetrate the flesh as well. After about a 3 second delay the chemicals inside the three shells will bond causing an explosion of epic proportions. Usually the rites are secret to any perspective clan member, but since Grunt and your grandfather went through his rites together Wrex figured there wasn't any reason to keep me from knowing just what we would be up against. This little baby should eat a maw in a hit or two at most."

After explaining, he throws it back at Ashley. She catches it and starts to figure out just how to use it.

"Heh, you catch on pretty good. You have your safety and firing trigger. That blue button on the side contracts her so she fits handily on your back high enough that you can still stow your shotgun along your waist. I know how you Vanguards love your shotguns."

Ashley hits the button and watches as parts slide into each other cutting the size almost in half. It really is a nice piece of engineering.

While she continues to play with it, Mordin reaches into another container and pulls out a sling of some sort.

"I designed this for your body type. It's compact enough to fit on your small frame, and it even has room for a side arm if you are so inclined."

Ashley wastes no time in getting the pack on her back. She spends the next few minutes learning how to switch the weapon from armed and ready to securely locked away. Even going as far as practicing putting her shotgun away under the heavy weapon.

"Thanks Mordin. I can always use more firepower. Although, it will mess with my cool down times. She will take some getting use to." Ashley tells him.

"No Problem. Now for the bad news. You have to group the shells in a couple meter target group for them to be effective. Also, the chemicals used aren't very common so I was only able to make 10 shell combinations. I will be able to make more once I get my lab set up on Tuchunka, but that's your ammo till then. Oh and needless to say you will have to pay for any new shells, and it won't be cheap." He smiles again at her after explaining the bad news.

"Well I guess I will just have to make sure to only use it when I absolutely have too." Ashley shrugs.

"Nice chatting Shepard, but I should really check up on Kevin. He wasn't feeling the greatest. Heh who knew drinking so much and losing your virginity would take so much out of a guy? Probably the shortage of testicles."

Ashley smirks and nods as Mordin walks toward the elevator. She should get some rest too since it will be game on in a few hours. She takes a second to call Grunt to get him to add her new toy to their load out. She can't wait to try it out.

* * *

Octavious disembarked his ship to find a trio of asari waiting for him. Their matching blue green dresses match well to the contemporary architecture Nos Astra is known for. Illium has always been one of his favorite worlds, all the seedy elements of criminal enterprise covered by a shiny layer of asari sensibility.

The planet has been under the strict yet profitable rule of 5 entrepreneurs since the end of the reaper war. They began calling themselves the league of 5 when they organized the planet's resistance to the reaper invasion.

No one knows exactly who make up the five themselves. Although, their corporate fronts are well known. Octavious himself doesn't even know who his shadowy benefactors are.

"Welcome to Nos Astra Agent Pactous." One of the asari tells him. She has the darkest shade of the three almost bordering on violet. Her face is outlined with white facial markings. The other two are more of a traditional asari blue with only light eye makeup and lipstick making up their faces. "My name is Celeste. I've already taken care of your docking fees and rooms have been prepared for you as usual. If you need any information about people docking or leaving Illium you can contact me on this omni."

Octavious brings up his omni as she sends him her contact information. He nods as a reply to her, and she carries on with her instructions. "Officer Remy is our liaison within the Police. If you need any information from them, she is the one to talk too." His omni blinks again with the information she is providing. He takes a second to check it before he nods again at them. "Lisalia will show you to your accommodations and assist with any other needs you might have while you're on Illium."

The three asari escort him through the security checks to make sure it all goes without incident. Once they are through, Celeste and Officer Remy leave him with Lisalia. He takes a second to enjoy the beauty that Nos Astra is known for. Skyscraper after skyscraper spread out across the horizon. A quick look down reminds him how high the capital city is actually located. Sure there are people who live closer to the planets surface, but anyone with the money to avoid the punishing conditions down there will do so.

Octavious always wondered if the cloud cover that prevented the haves from looking down to see just how bad the have-nots have it is natural or if some city planner decided that condensed moisture was the perfect fence to separate them.

"Do you need to make any stops, or would you like to go directly to your apartment?" Lisalia asks him, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"It's been a long trip. Some rest would be nice. Plus, I need to check in." Octavious answers her.

"Of course. If you will follow me, I have transit already prepared for us."

He follows her over to the fast transit station in silence. Octavious appreciates an asari who knows when conversation isn't necessary. Usually her race want to talk incessantly. The flight is just as pleasant.

The apartment complex they have set up for him is a bit out of the way from Nos Astra's main hub, and that fits Octavious' needs perfectly. Lisalia leads him through security at the door, making sure his omni is updated with the security codes in case he comes or goes without her.

"We've set you up in the penthouse on the top floor. There will be an additional security checkpoint when we reach the penthouse level." Lisalia explains to him while he silently takes in his surroundings. The building itself is nicely decorated. Neutral colors highlighted by reds and greens decorate the walls, and plants line most of the windows which are spread across the whole length of the lobby. An asari sits quietly behind a large desk set off a bit to the side. Octavious makes eye contact with her until she goes back to reading her screen. The elevators were located in the middle of the large room. Lisalia leads him there, pressing the up button, and they wait in more silence for the lift to come down to get them.

The trip up is over quickly, and Lisalia again leads him through a security checkpoint. He finds himself wondering just how much security the Volus on duty provides. Looking around, he sees the automatic barricades set up on either side of the checkpoint. He figures anyone the Volus doesn't want to get into the penthouse area won't be getting there after all. It's a nice reminder to not underestimate anyone, especially considering who he is going after.

His suite is one of four on this level. Most places like this would have glass walls for the view, but Octavious was glad to see reinforced walls for protection against outside attack. It seems he's not the only one who needs the additional security. Inside his suite is another story. While the bedroom is located away from the outer facing wall that looks out into the Illium night sky, his living room and kitchen but open up with full length windows.

Lisalia must have read his mind, "Kinetic barriers reinforce high tech shielding around the whole building. It will take a lot of fire power to get in here from the outside."

He doesn't respond, just continues to give himself the tour. It isn't until he reaches his office that he realizes they aren't alone. Sitting at his desk, another turian is calmly using the computer. Octavious immediately recognizes him.

It's not often you see another turian without any facial markings. "Qulec! What are you doing here?"

"Good to see you to." Octavious walks up and offers his hand to him. Qulec stands and shakes it. "What do you think I'm doing here? I'm making sure you have everything you need. Our mutual friends seem really interested in your latest lead."

"It's not a lead. I know Liara T'Soni is connected to her. I haven't found out how or why yet. I can't figure out how she benefits from the attack, and we both know that none of them do anything without it benefiting them." Octavious explains.

"Well I've had someone following everyone on T'Soni's payroll. All the info I've had gathered is on this computer. I've explained just how much you will have to sift through. Thankfully it was enough to buy you two days, but like I said earlier you have the attention of some very powerful people. The five are all going to be on the meeting when you present your findings. Personally, I always thought they were just the money, but they seem to have taken a personal interest in this too."

Octavious took all this new information in silently. Honestly it made sense to him. T'Soni has made numerous enemies over the years and without the protection of the asari matriarch's or Shepard it left her vulnerable. Which of course brings him back the original question. What did she have to benefit from the assassinations? If anything, it just made her more vulnerable.

"Anyway, I'm sure you've had a long trip so I will let you get to it. I will stop by in a few days to see if you've learned anything new, but I will be around if you need me." Qulec stands and Octavious leads him toward the exit.

They shake hands again before the door closes behind him. Once he's gone, Octavious decides he will start looking through all the info that has been provided for him. On his way back to his office, he sees Lisalia standing in his bedroom doorway. The asari has changed clothes. Her new outfit leaving just about nothing to the imagination. Octavious thinks for a second about just turning in for the night for some fun but, then he realizes he can have both.

Twenty minutes later, he's scanning surveillance photos looking for anyone he's seen before. The soft sucking sounds Lisalia is making is distracting him from his work. He was about to give up the search when he notices two people in one of the pictures he's seen before. A Krogan and an Asari. He quickly transfers the photos from the attack and runs a program to look for matches. As his heart beat picks up in anticipation Octavious digs his talons into Lisalia's soft asari flesh forcing her up and down more quickly. It didn't take long before the computer matches the two in the photos to two people seen around the capital on the day of the attack. No way that was a coincidence. Realizing he already had something to tell the five, Octavious leans back and laughs looking down at the asari between his legs. He digs his claws in deeper feeling the warm liquid start to pool around his fingers and sees the blue start to leak from the wounds he's making on her head. His release comes quickly, and he doesn't give her a break until he is finished. He watches her rush from the room to wash her mouth out since his release is poisonous to her.

Sitting back in his chair he realizes all he has to do is find out exactly who the two are in the picture and get them to lead him to the asari in the picture. He can do that in the two days he has before his meeting.

* * *

"Garrus Vakarian!" Matt Shepard proclaims when the call opens on the overhead. His old Turian friend smiling back at him. "Good to see you too, Shepard. I really hoped dying twice would make you as ugly as me, but I see I was just getting my hopes up."

"How's retirement treating you?" Shepard asks.

"Boring. Really, really boring. I wouldn't suggest it." Garrus answers.

"Well what are you doing to keep yourself occupied? I'm sure it's nice not having to worry about the whole Turian race."

"Lot's of travel. Seeing all the parts of the galaxy we've fought so hard to preserve. It's one thing to hear reports from everyone but going to Thessia, and seeing it for yourself is something else. The Hanar have done amazing things with Kahje. I even got to visit Dekunna. That was a sight Shepard. I suggest you and Liara get out there sometime."

"We plan to, Garrus." Liara answers for him from her desk where she's watching news feeds.

"Is that T'Soni? What's going on Liara? Too busy to check in on your oldest Turian friend." Garrus shouts at her.

Shepard smiles at her as she gets up from her work station and makes her way over to his desk. He slides his chair out a bit as she sits herself down in his lap.

"Nice to see you, Garrus. Tali has been informing me just how stir crazy you are. Make sure you tell us first before you end up doing something reckless." Liara smiles at him.

Garrus chuckles in response, "you know me too well, T'Soni. Don't worry. Tali makes sure I don't ever stray too far."

"So to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" Shepard asks him.

"Well, the shadow broker asked me to track down some information about a turian outpost. I have to say, Liara, it took a lot of digging to find out anything at all about that place. Do you mind telling me exactly why you wanted to know?"

"We have caught the attention of a Turian spectre. His record of birth is that station. Since I have never heard of it and no matter who I contacted I couldn't find out anything about it. I figured if anyone would know it would be the Turian government." Liara explains.

"Well, I was able to find out a bit of background, but the outpost has been abandoned since the Reaper War and highly classified. Outpost Tycus was the military support to our colonists on Triginta Petra. The planet itself was bombarded by the reapers and deemed not worthy of recolonization. Of course this is classified but after the war it was close to 75 years before we even sent out anyone to see if the station was still there. The official report says it was abandoned." Garrus explains.

Shepard frowns as Garrus explains his Intel. Looking up at Liara, he sees the same expression on her face. So he asks the obvious question. "Why would that be classified?"

Garrus nods back at them. "Why indeed."

Definitely worth a look then." Liara says.

"I would say so."

Shepard is distracted by the door opening to their office. Shepard watches Tessa walk over to them.

"Hey Garrus. Still looking like shit." Tessa comes up behind them and leans over their chair as she talks to Vakarian.

"Nice to see you too, Tessa. Decide what you wanna do with your life yet or are you gonna wait until your 200?" Garrus pokes back at her.

"Now, now. Be nice you two." Liara chastises them.

"What do you have for us Tess?" Shepard asks her.

Just thought you two would want to see this. Tessa brings up her omni and sends an email unto their screen.

Shadow Broker,

It will be common knowledge soon that my mother, Aria T'Loak has passed. I will be taking over her businesses and would like to talk to you about a future business partnership that I think will be beneficial to us both. If you are interested feel free to send a representative to her memorial service which will take place in 5 days on Omega.

Thank you for your time,

Venecia T'Loak.

They all sat in silence as they processed that bit of information. Aria was over 1100 years old. It shouldn't be a surprise, but some people just seem like they will never die.

"Am I missing something?" Garrus asks them.

"Oh sorry. We just got an interesting email." Shepard explains sending it over to his screen. They watch as Garrus reads it.

"You know, I knew about this. Yesterday I got an email myself. I didn't think about it at the time since it was addressed to Archangel, but now I bet it was from Omega."

Shepard and Liara watch as Garrus brings up his omni and starts scanning.

"Yep. I knew it. She invited Archangel to the memorial service." Garrus informs them.

"Interesting." Liara tells them. "I have to admit I'm curious."

Just then Liara's own omni beeped indicating a message. She decides to bring it up. Not surprisingly it was from Venecia T'Loak.

Liara T'Soni,

I am aware you and my mother didn't really see eye to eye very often, but I have information that I think you would be interested in. If you would like to know more about a possible future friendship please feel free to come to Omega for her memorial service.

Venecia T'Loak.

"OK, now I'm curious." Liara says.

"Sounds like a trip to Omega in our future?" Garrus asks expectantly.

Shepard looks over at Liara waiting for her input. "Can you do something to mask your appearance?" Liara asks Shepard.

"I'm sure I can come up with something. What do you have in mind?"

"I say we go. Me as myself and you as the shadow broker's agent. We can play this to our advantage." Liara explains.

"I like it, T'Soni. Cover both your bases." Garrus approves.

"What about the outpost?" Shepard asks.

"It will have to wait until we're done on Omega." Liara shrugs.

"It doesn't have to." Shepard tells her. When he catches her eye he nods back at Tessa.

"Do you think she's ready?" Liara asks.

"It sounds like just a recon mission. We will send glyph with her and she should be fine."

Shepard looks back to see Tessa smiling at him. Garrus shows the same enthusiasm with his reply, "Looks like we're getting the band back together."


End file.
